Where My Life Begins
by Crystallinee
Summary: As long as Sasuke can remember, he has lived alone with Itachi. But now he really begins to wonder - what happened to their parents? How long can Itachi protect him from the truth about their dark past? The love grows between the brothers but it's not always easy. ItaSasu.
1. Chapter 1: What Are You To Me?

**Where My Life Begins**

**Summary:** Itachi's and Sasuke's parents died when Sasuke was little, and Itachi is left alone to care for his brother. The love grows between them, but it's not always easy.  
><strong>AU, forget the ordinary Uchiha massacre. ItaSasu.<strong>

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><p>"Nii-san! I'm going off to school!" a raven-haired boy shouted on his way through the door.<p>

"Take care, otouto. After school, we'll go to the tomato farm as I promised."

"Thanks, aniki." Sasuke smiled, as he left the house. His nii-san was the best.

He headed to school and met his friends Neji, Kiba and Shino. Happily he told them that he would go to the village's big tomato farm later. Itachi had promised that, as a late birthday present.

Sasuke knew he was lucky to have such a brother. Itachi had always been there for him, as long as he could remember. They shared many memories, both good and bad. And they had always been together – Sasuke couldn't remember a life without Itachi.

Itachi had always been sure to protect and take care of his younger brother. Although Sasuke sometimes wondered why they didn't live with their parents, as the other kids in school did, he was happy.

The older of the two was at home, waiting for his brother to come home. Itachi was eighteen now, he had dropped out of school to take care of Sasuke. Sometimes he did minor jobs for the Akatsuki, but it wasn't really necessary because of the heritage their parents had left them.

And soon Itachi's little angel was home again, exclaimed "Nii-san!" happily and glomped him. Itachi hugged him tightly back, like always. "Welcome home, otouto." He took Sasuke's hand as they walked to the big farm. When they walked through the streets, everything felt perfect. It felt as the sun always shone on them when they were together, no matter the weather.

Soon they arrived, and Sasuke could finally munch eagerly on the red, juicy tomatoes he got. How Sasuke loved tomatoes… Itachi smiled tenderly as he watched his brother. Sasuke beamed with joy, eagerly ate his favorite food. The others at the farm smiled at the young boy's enthusiasm. Oh, how cute he was when he ran around happily, rummaging through the plants in a blissful daze. Sasuke held Itachi's whole heart in just one of his hands, that strong was his love.

Itachi sat on a bench and watched him, smiling. After hours for the elder – but he didn't mind as long as his brother was happy – but only minutes for Sasuke, he gestured towards him. Sasuke jumped over to him, a slight frown on his face."What, nii-san? I want to eat more…" the younger begged.

Itachi chuckled and gently poked his forehead. "Don't you want to save some for the others, otouto?"

Sasuke's reaction when he realized that they weren't alone was totally adorable. He pouted childishly, his cheeks still rosy from the earlier joy, and Itachi couldn't take his eyes off that perfect face, that soft lips… He suddenly felt tempted to kiss him… not the usual way, on the forehead or his nose. He wanted so bad to kiss his baby brother's lips.

How could Sasuke be so _beautiful_?

"What are you looking at, nii-san?" Sasuke wondered, noticing the elder's stare.

"You…" Itachi mumbled, spellbound by his brother's beauty. Then he awoke from his trance and adopted a neutral face, but his eyes stayed tender. "We should go home now, otouto. You have homework, don't you?"  
>It was just an excuse, though. If they had stayed as they were now, he would most likely give in and just kiss him breathless.<p>

Sasuke's pout returned. "But nii-saaan… okay then. But only if you help me with it."  
>He seemed distracted; of course Itachi would always help him with whatever he asked for. What was Sasuke thinking about?<p>

Itachi hid his surprise. "Of course, otouto", he smiled and took his brother's hand again. "Nii-san, promise that we go here soon again!" Sasuke chattered happily as they walked home.

.

Where did Itachi Uchiha's life begin?

Rather precise the day Sasuke was born. The years before that were nothing, noting of importance to him. Everything became clear that day. When he saw his little brother for the first time, everything changed.

But mostly, life changed a day ten years ago. Itachi remembered his parents in their last breaths, when his mother gave him Sasuke. He held the baby close to him.

"Promise me, Itachi. Protect him, when we aren't here", their mother whispered. And, with a smile in her pale face, she died beside her husband. And, what remained of the family was the nine-year-old Itachi, with his little brother in his arms. Things would never be the same.

Sasuke was only two years old at that time, but he realized that something had happened. But Itachi's presence was all that mattered then.

A distant relative that had managed to survive stayed with them until Itachi was twelve. But during and after that time, the brothers cared for but one thing – each other. Itachi remembered - the day after their parents death, he laid Sasuke down in his new crib, saw the little, helpless creature sleep in peace. Little Sasuke wasn't afraid though he wondered where his parents were. He knew that his nii-san was there for him.

What would Itachi do without his little brother? Sasuke was everything, _everything _and he had to be protected no matter what.

With that thought in mind, Itachi went to sleep in his bed next to the crib. Outside the bedroom window seasons shifted - autumn and summer, spring and winter flashed past. Still Sasuke was everything. Still he slept in the same way, still Itachi leaned over him in the same way, stroked his forehead while he watched the younger drift off to sleep. Sasuke was a flash of light, that cut right into Itachi's heart and remained through everything.

Already back then, when they just had lost their parents and Itachi held his little brother against his chest, told him that everything was going to be okay, he knew.

He knew that they were meant to be, now or in the future.  
>Themselves could create the world they needed.<p>

Yes, were did Itachi Uchiha's life begin? Where did his love begin?

It began with everything. When Sasuke buried his face against his neck and mumbled "I love you nii-san" for the first time, or when they fell asleep together at night. That was the beginning.

.

"Nii-san", Sasuke said when they were approaching their home. "You don't need to hold my hand, I'm not a child anymore and I promise that I won't be run over by a car…" Sasuke was embarrassed because of the other children on the street, but Itachi knew that his otouto actually enjoyed it. He just chuckled and kept his grip around Sasuke's hand. "You're just twelve, otouto. I don't think that you're too old", Itachi smiled.

When they were home, Sasuke asked: "Nii-san, can we watch a movie together? It feels like it's ages since we last did that."

"Don't you have homework to do, otouto?" Itachi reminded and put a arm around Sasuke's waist in a affectionate hug. This kind of brotherly touches were common for them. If it only could be more, Itachi thought.

"Shit…" Sasuke muttered. "But I'm almost done with it… can't I do it later, please?" He looked up happily at Itachi with his famous puppy-eyes. He knew that his brother would do whatever he asked for if he did that.

And…  
>"Alright, otouto", Itachi gave in, already felt his heart begin to melt. "Pick a movie."<p>

They ended up watching _Titanic_ since Sasuke was in a really cheesy mood. Itachi was amused but let his little brother have his way, like always. They huddled together on the couch, Sasuke sat in Itachi's lap like always. The elder wrapped his arms around him.

It became harder to stay focused on anything that wasn't Sasuke – his scent, his skin, his whole body – as the hours passed. Itachi always felt his attention be dragged back to the younger. He nuzzled his face in his little brother's soft hair, overwhelmed by his love for him.

He wished that he could tell Sasuke that he not only loved him infinitely – that he was _in _love with him as well. But he knew that it was wrong. Itachi didn't know how his brother would react. And he just couldn't risk Sasuke's love by telling him how he really felt. It was better to wait… and hope that it would disappear. This need, yearn, _craving_, for his younger brother.

But somewhere deep inside him, Itachi knew that his feelings would never disappear.

When the movie was over, Itachi began to make dinner while Sasuke went upstairs to finish his homework. He rummaged through his messy room for twenty minutes in search for a usable pencil until he decided to borrow one from his brother.

When he entered Itachi's perfectly cleaned room, he noticed that something was really off. It took him some seconds before he could figure out what it was.

Was the world going to end? A wrinkled paper lay on the floor, in _Uchiha Itachi's _room. Never once in his life, Sasuke had seen even the slightest mess in Itachi's room – he was a perfectionist, indeed.

Sasuke couldn't help it, he was suddenly very curious about the wrinkled paper. It looked like a page of a notebook that had been crumbled and thrown away. He picked it up. He had no idea that Itachi was writing private notes…

What could his brother been writing that he couldn't share with him? Itachi always used to talk with Sasuke if he was upset or sad about something, though often it was the other way around.

It couldn't hurt anybody to take a peek, right? Sasuke slowly opened the wrinkled piece of paper. He gasped in surprise. What on earth…? When he read his brother's perfectly typed letters, he felt as if he was thrown into another dimension.

_Is it wrong? Is it wrong, the way I feel?_

_I know I shouldn't do this... I shouldn't feel this panic when I see him grow up, knowing that soon he'll choose a girl and be happy, without me_

_I don't know why I can't even think straight when he's around._

_His words repeat themselves in my head when I see him walk to school_

_His facial expressions are imprinted on my mind all the time_

_I just can't stop thinking about him _

_I don't know why I never can feel satisfied_

_Why nothing is enough for me_

_This is wrong, but I still want it._

_A hug, a gentle kiss on his cheek - it's so little_

_I want more_

_Why can't I?_

_Months are passing, and my desire, my longing, my heart ache keeps growing_

_Why can't he simply be mine?_

_I don't care what people are saying, what they think about us_

_I will protect him from them_

_Because he is my brother_

_And I want him so much. _

_I hold his hand, I want to do more_

_I want to squeeze him tight_

_Feel his lips against mine, commit the ultimate sin_

_Feel us together, as one_

_Lying beneath me, look into my eyes_

_I want him to only be with me_

_For all future_

Sasuke stared at the piece of paper. His hands began to tremble.

He couldn't understand why he felt a chill, at the same time a heat inside of him when he read Itachi's words, why his abdominal muscles tightened at the words "commit the ultimate sin."

He had never guessed that his aniki felt like this. This naked confession, this hurricane of longing and emotions, was so unusual for Itachi. And why had he thrown it away?

.

"You're very quiet, otouto", Itachi remarked as they ate dinner. "Are you feeling okay?"

Sasuke flinched, felt his cheeks start to heat. Words from the note he found earlier surfaced his mind: _I want him so much._ Embarrassed, he looked up to not make Itachi suspicious. "I'm fine, 'm just tired…" he mumbled, flustered.

Itachi didn't look convinced. Sasuke cursed himself when he felt his blush increasing. ..._Feel his lips against mine, lying beneath me. _Dammit! He had to stop thinking about it before Itachi found out!

Itachi eyed him, puzzled. What was his little brother thinking about? Sasuke looked down in his lap, tried to avoid his brother's wondering gaze.

"Sasuke… your cheeks are practically burning. Do you have a fever?" Itachi asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, nii-san", Sasuke repeated, tried to sound defiant. "I'm tired, I think I shall go to bed now. Thanks for dinner."

Sasuke stood up, tried to ignore his brother's worried gaze, and wondered at the same time why he felt so confused.  
>He had left the note in his brother's room exactly as he found it, but he knew it was very hard to deceive his prodigy to brother. Itachi might found out…<p>

Do I feel the same about nii-san? Sasuke wondered as he walked into the bathroom, getting ready for bed. All his life, he used to know exactly what he was feeling. But now… now he wasn't sure anymore. What if he was in love with his own brother? Oh, God...

Itachi's written words had awakened feelings and realizations within him… feelings he never thought he could have. Things like _desire _and_ need._

Suddenly feeling sad, Sasuke went to his room and crawled into his bed.__

_Nii-san… I don't know anymore… It feels like… I love you. More... than a brother should.  
><em>

Sasuke curled up to a ball under the covers, tried to clear his feelings. Suddenly a soft hand gently stroked his hair. It felt so comforting, and Sasuke restrained the urge to cry. He shyly peeked his head out from the covers and met Itachi's warm gaze.

Itachi leaned down close to him, like he always did, gave him a warm and comforting hug. He kept the body contact some extra seconds, giving Sasuke a gentle kiss on the forehead. Sasuke could feel how his whole body tensed up at the touch.

"Goodnight, otouto", Itachi whispered. Sasuke relaxed, smiled at his big brother. Itachi always made him feel so safe, so loved. "Goodnight, nii-san."

Itachi bent down again, kissing his nose affectionately before straightening up. Sasuke could feel himself drifting off to sleep, to a place where his nii-san already was waiting for him, in the land of sweet dreams.

.

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><p><strong> Author's note: Reviews are very appreciated and helps me update faster! Please tell me what you think!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Hidden Threat

**Here goes chapter 2! :P**

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><p>Sasuke was walking home from school, thinking about his nii-san as usual.<p>

Today, he would finally say it. Tell Itachi the truth, that he was in love with him as well. Two days had gone since he found the fateful note in his brother's room and he couldn't wait anymore. The raven-haired smiled to himself. _Nii-san. You mean everything to me. _

When he finally reached his home he saw that Itachi was talking to someone.

Itachi and the stranger hadn't seen him; they were standing at the porch in front of the house. The stranger was a woman, with a strange white appearance. Everything with her seemed white – her dress, her long hair and her skin although her hair had a faint purple shade. Sasuke became curious. He hid behind some bushes, masked his chakra and listened.

"The times have changed" he heard Itachi say. "You've got what you wanted. Now leave the village."

The strange woman shook her head. It was something uncomfortably with her presence. "No, I'm not satisfied yet. Itachi-kun, I'm sure you haven't forgotten. We made a deal and I expect you to keep your word…"

Itachi seemed annoyed. "I won't allow you to get near Sasuke."

Sasuke listened closely. Why where they talking about him?

"You know it's not him I'm craving for anymore", she said, moved closer to Itachi and placed one of her slender hands on his shoulder. Sasuke watched terrified, what the fuck was going on?

Itachi didn't move.  
>"We still made an agreement", the woman continued. A threatening tone slipped into her voice. "As you already helped me and sacrificed the blood of the Uchiha… It's not enough, you know it."<p>

Itachi nodded.

Sasuke's eyes were wide. How did Itachi know this woman? What did she mean?_ 'Helped me and sacrificed the blood of the Uchiha'… _Had Itachi helped to kill their parents?

When he used to ask Itachi about what happened to their parents, Itachi would answer: _They passed away many years ago. _Sasuke had always trusted his brother completely, but now he was unsure. He knew that his brother was strong enough to kill grown-ups before he even was ten years old. It wasn't impossible… What if Itachi was the cause of their parent's death? Sasuke couldn't remember them but if that was the case… He couldn't even think about it. Would he ever be able to forgive Itachi then?

And Itachi had never socialized with girls before… that made everything worse for Sasuke. Actually, he couldn't stand it when he saw Itachi talk for more than five minutes with somebody else than him. Itachi was _his _and nobody else's_, _for the love of God!

The world stopped when he saw the woman lean forward, place her hands on Itachi's arms, and nuzzle their faces together.

Sasuke thought that he was going to get a heart attack. How could Itachi be with somebody else than him this way? Hadn't he read in Itachi's note just the other day, how much Itachi wanted to be with him, only him?

They didn't pull apart; Itachi didn't try to break their loose embrace, as he always did when the fangirls attacked. He and the woman just stood there, like they were a couple or something.

Sasuke had seen enough. He turned around and began to run away, turned his back against everything and everybody. He stumbled forward when he couldn't run anymore for the pain in his chest as the heat – heat of rage, fear and shock – whirled within him as a heavy thunderstorm. He'd always been afraid of thunder.

It couldn't be true; that Itachi had found a love interest in a scary-looking girl he'd never seen before. But at the same time, Sasuke had seen with his own eyes. He even felt Itachi's chakra, so he knew it couldn't be an illusion. It felt as his heart was shattered in a thousand pieces.

.

"As you already helped me and sacrificed the blood of the Uchiha… It's not enough, you know it."  
>Itachi nodded, his gaze stayed fierce. He didn't move – he knew he couldn't - when she leaned forward, placed her hands on his arms, gripped tightly.<p>

As her face in fake affection come closer to his, he could feel the sharp pain when she cut his skin with razors that were hidden under her palms. To disguise the violent action to look as they were just an ordinary couple, she stayed close to Itachi as she continued to take blood from him. He let his face stay expressionless.

She discretely collected his crimson fluid in a small glass bottle and swiftly hid the razors and the bottle in her dress pocket.  
>"Thanks, Itachi-kun. This is just what I need…" she mumbled.<p>

Itachi examined the short, narrow cuts on his arms, from which fresh blood still poured out. It would be quite easy to conceal – though he'd lost a big amount of blood.

.

Sasuke sat alone in his room, curled up on the bed with his arms around his legs. He rested his head against his knees and tried to shut out the pain. He'd never felt like this before, the pain he felt in his heart was so strong that he almost couldn't feel his body anymore. His mind was floating freely, flowed around him. Memories fluttered around in his head and tears gathered in his eye corners. Furiously, he tried to wipe them away.

He just couldn't let go of Itachi. He just couldn't live without him, it was impossible. He couldn't share his brother with somebody else, no matter who it was. And… what if Itachi downright was the person that killed their mother and father? Would he ever be able to forgive him then? Sasuke hated being an orphan, even though he enjoyed to be alone with Itachi, he wanted a real family now and then.

_If I only knew_, he thought. _In all my life, I've been sure about everything. But now... First I don't know if I'm in love with you or not, and now I even doubt my love as a brother for you, nii-san. I used to know so well…  
>Everything was so clear. But now… are you my enemy?<em>

A knock on the door. "Sasuke, are you in there?"

Sasuke was grateful that he had locked the door. He couldn't show Itachi this fragile side of himself, the side that was frail as glass. He didn't answer.

"Otouto! What's wrong?" Itachi asked concerned from the other side of the door. Sasuke never used to behave like this.

"Go away", Sasuke muttered.

A short silence. "Sasuke, answer", the elder demanded. "Are you hurt?"

Sasuke shook his head defying, but realized that his brother couldn't see him and snapped: "Leave me alone!"  
>He'd never been so rude to his aniki before, he just felt so hurt and abandoned.<p>

Sasuke heard that his brother gave in and walked away. His eyes filled with tears. _I'm sorry nii-san… but why did you do it?_

"I'm sure your nii-san didn't mean anything with it, Sasuke-chan." The voice that suddenly filled the room was calm and amused. Sasuke gave a start. Shocked he looked up at the woman beside him. It was _her, _the strange young woman Itachi met before.

Her complex was like snow, her hair long and faint violet. Her eyes shimmered in purple.  
>"You!" Sasuke gasped. "What the hell are you doing here? How did you get in?"<p>

The woman shrugged. "I thought I'd have a talk with you. And don't bother to ask me more petty questions like 'how do you know my name' and such. Okay?"

"Well, what are you doing with my aniki, to begin with?" Sasuke exclaimed, ignored the advice.

"I thought I said that _I _was the one having a talk with you, ne?" She smiled wryly.

"So to begin with, Sasuke-chan" - Sasuke scowled at the girlish honorific – "I'm here because of an issue with the Uchiha Clan. You know you belong to that clan, don't you?" Sasuke nodded, hesitantly.

"Well, I've been here before – I was send here to Konoha in order to resolve a certain thing…"

A hard knock on the door.  
>"Okay, this is it. Sasuke, open the door or I'll break it." Itachi's impatient and worried voice was heard.<p>

The woman beside Sasuke snickered. "He can't be without you, can he?" she asked Sasuke. Before he could answer, she swiftly moved to the door and unlocked it.

Itachi stormed into the room, ready to hug Sasuke tightly and ask him what was going on, but instead he almost collided with the woman.

"…Yumiko? What are you doing here?"

The next second, Itachi saw his little brother sit on the bed with a heartbroken look on his face.  
>Sasuke didn't know what to do. So it <em>was <em>true. Itachi knew this girl.

"Sasuke! Are you all right, otouto?" Itachi rushed forward to Sasuke. Sasuke didn't look at him.

"His life is not in danger or something, I was just talking to him", Yumiko said, annoyed by the elder's protectiveness.

"I told you to not go near Sasuke!" Itachi spat. "Stay away from him!"

"Itachi-kun, I would watch my mouth if I were you. There's no need to be so impolite just because I encroach on you and your dear brother's personal space, ne…"

Itachi stood in front of Sasuke, his eyes firm and red with the Sharingan. "As I told you before, even if you have the upper hand right now, I'm stronger than you. I'm not like I was ten years ago. Don't underestimate me…" he said.

Yumiko shook her head, so that her white-violet long hair billowed around her pale face. "Whatever you say, Itachi-kun." She didn't show the slightest trace of fear. "I'm leaving now, but we'll meet again." With that, she simply jumped out through Sasuke's window and disappeared.

Itachi let his Sharingan fade and slowly turned back to Sasuke. Sasuke still refused to look at him.  
>"Speak to me otouto", Itachi said. "Say something. I need to hear your voice, before I go mad."<p>

Sasuke slowly raised his head.

"…Explain to me", he whispered. His voice rose. _"Tell me what the fuck is **going on**! Who is **she**? Do you two have a relationship? Did _you_ kill our parents?"_

Itachi looked shocked. He kneeled by the bed, facing Sasuke.

"Otouto… I don't know yet what's safe to say and what's not. But one thing I can assure you from the bottom of my heart. I only love one person in this world, and that's **you**."

Sasuke stared at him, still disbelieving and upset. Itachi felt panic rise in his heart. What if Sasuke didn't believe him? "Please, Sasuke", he begged. "Trust me. I can't tell you what's going on yet, because I'm not sure myself, but I promise that I won't let it affect our relationship, or harm you in any way. Can you believe in that, otouto?"

Sasuke met his older brother's eyes that were filled with so much concern and affection. He couldn't stand seeing Itachi this desperate and sad. And he knew that _he _was the cause of it.

He threw his arms around his brother's neck and hugged him tightly, sobbed against his shirt. Itachi wrapped his arms around him just as tight and they shared a comforting hug.

"I'm sorry nii-san… I didn't mean to… ignore you and all that…" Sasuke trembled in Itachi's embrace. Itachi kissed his forehead softly. "It's okay, otouto, don't worry. I know I've said this to you a thousand times already, but - I'm here."

"Don't leave me, nii-san" the younger of the two said suddenly. Itachi looked at Sasuke. How on earth could the kid even speak of something like that? It was absurd. His love for Sasuke was so strong that he couldn't bear it sometimes. Sasuke was heaven, earth, air and water for Itachi and nothing could ever change that. Was it even possible to love somebody so much as Itachi did? Sometimes it even hurt to be so close to his little brother…

"I won't leave you, otouto. Not as long as I'm alive, I can promise you that. Not even after my death…"

.

Sasuke laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He smiled to himself. He was happy now when he knew that Itachi didn't let him down, that he just wanted to protect him. Still, he didn't know why that woman had showed up out of nowhere or what she wanted of them. But he had decided that he would trust his brother, like always, and forget their past and her for a bit. Right now, it didn't matter what happened to their parents, he was just so grateful to still have Itachi by his side.

And that reminded him of… how hopelessly devoted he was to his brother. He wanted to kiss his aniki so badly, to caress that godlike face, place his hands in his hair and pull his fingers through it, kiss him and hug him in more ways than just brotherly… oh, he wanted it so bad.

_Why are you hesitating?_ he mentally scolded himself. _If Nii-san feels the same…_  
>With a smile on his face and new hope in his heart, Sasuke went downstairs to his brother.<p>

"Nii-san?"

"Yes, otouto?" Itachi looked up from the book he was reading.

"I wonder… how come there are things that you really want but can't have?"

The elder looked surprised and amused. "What do you mean, otouto?"

Sasuke's cheeks adopted a slight pink colour. "You know…" he stammered. "Things that… you want more than anything else..."

Itachi chuckled and gently stroked Sasuke's cheek. That blush was so delicate, he couldn't help it. "Foolish little otouto", he said lovingly. "Are you trying to tell me that we have no more tomatoes?"

"No, I'm serious, nii-san", Sasuke said sharply, his blush increased. Itachi guessed what his little brother was trying to say, but pretended to not understand just to see Sasuke's cute frustration.

Sasuke pouted. "I mean… why do I only want the thing I can't have? I…"

Itachi smirked. "Are you sure that you cannot have it? What if things aren't as you think?"

Sasuke sighed deeply. "I know it's impossible, nii-san…"

"Come here", Itachi said and gestured to Sasuke like he always did when he would poke his forehead. Sasuke immediately sat down beside his brother on the couch, but he got no poke. Instead his brother placed his arm around his shoulders. Itachi smiled tenderly. "What exactly is it you want, otouto?"

Now Sasuke blushed crimson red. A sign that he had a very special thing in mind, Itachi knew.

"Well, you see… it's… a person that I like…" Sasuke looked down in his lap, embarrassed.

"And you don't know if this certain somebody feels the same?" Itachi continued, a tender and amused smile still played on his lips. His adorable little brother shook his head. "It's not that, exactly..."

"What if your nii-san can make it possible for you? So you can have it?"

Sasuke looked up shocked, his eyes wide with surprise. "Aniki… I…"

But his words were suddenly cut off when Itachi leaned forward and caught his lips in a soft kiss.

The world stopped for a moment. Sasuke gasped in shock, but didn't pull back. Instead, he let Itachi gently grip his hair and pull him closer to the elder, and their kiss deepened, filled with more love and passion by each second.

Sasuke stared wide-eyed at his beloved older brother, and he felt tingles through his body when he met Itachi's confident, affectionate gaze. Finally his nii-san pulled back and they stared at each other, gasping for air. Sasuke's heart beat so fast that it nearly hurt.

"How… did you know?" he gasped.

Itachi smiled. "It was quite obvious, otouto. The way your cheeks always turns red when you're looking at me…" He gently kissed Sasuke's face.

Sasuke pouted, and he was so cute at that moment that Itachi was overwhelmed with his love and adoration for his him. There was nothing cuter, more adorable than Sasuke in moments like this - how his black eyes shone in that perfect little face, how the blush on his cheeks made him look nearly edible, how his tempting little mouth smiled in a certain way that Itachi made Itachi lost thought of everything else. He felt a twinge of possessiveness, placed his younger brother in his lap and wrapped his arms around his torso.

"And besides that, otouto…" He nuzzled his face against Sasuke's neck, "you can have it. You can have it as much as you want, because your Nii-san feels the same."

Sasuke smiled like a child that got to know that Christmas would be coming extra early. "I love you, aniki."

Itachi reached up and kissed him passionately on the lips again. "Love you too, little brother. More than anything else."

.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>I just want to make one thing clear. Yumiko** is not **a vampire, just so you know.  
><strong>Anyway, please tell me what you think about the story so far! I love reviews!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Loving Brothers

**Chapter 3 **

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><p><em>It's there. The darkness. It will hurt me, it will take me away…<em>

_With a whimper, Sasuke woke up in the middle of the night. His whole body was shaking from the terrible nightmare. Just darkness, everywhere…_

_He rushed out from his room, searching frantically for his only rescue – Itachi's room. There was his nii-san, there was safety. The little child swallowed his fear as he rushed into the dark room, escaped from imagined ghosts and monsters that haunted him._

"_Nii-san! Nii-san!" Sasuke threw himself to the bed in the room, gripping tightly at the sheets. His older brother turned around in the bed._

_"Otouto… what's wrong?"_

_Sasuke just shook with fear, his eyes watered. "Nii-san…"  
>Itachi sat up, wrapped his arms around him and put him in his lap. He rocked the six-year-old child gently and mumbled comforting:<em>

_"Don't worry, otouto, your nii-san is here and he would never let something happen to you." Reassured by this, Sasuke closed his eyes and mumbled: "I love you, aniki", before falling asleep in his arms. Itachi stared at his beloved little brother's sleeping form some seconds, before lying down under the covers with his otouto close to him. He hugged him gently. "I love you too."_

The moon light shone down on Sasuke's soft, innocent face. He was so small and sweet, even though he was older now. Itachi found himself hugging him tighter in sheer affection. He kissed his brother's forehead.

_There's nothing left of our family. I only have him, he has only me. Together, we're complete…_

All these years, he'd been thanking God for letting them survive, but now he scowled in silent anger for Yumiko's doing. But he could, at the same time, understand...

When morning came, the two brothers woke up together in each other's arms as a golden sun rose outside the bedroom window. Itachi opened his eyes first, silently watched the sunrise. Sasuke lay safely against him, nuzzling his face against his neck as he woke.

"Good morning, nii-san… Did I come here to sleep again?" he wondered sleepily.

Itachi chuckled softly. "Yes, otouto. Don't you remember that you came in to me at midnight? You had a bad dream" He ran his fingers through Sasuke's hair gently.

"…Oh." Truth to be told, Sasuke didn't even remember the times when he would seek safety with his older brother at night. In his whole life he had been doing it.

Itachi smiled softly. "Are you hungry, otouto?"  
>Sasuke responded by bury his face against his nii-sans chest and hug him tighter.<p>

"I don't care about that right now. I just want to be close to you, nii-san."

Itachi kissed his lips lovingly. It felt wonderful to finally be able to show Sasuke how much he loved him, in every way. They laid there, close together, for a while as the sunrise colored the sky from crimson to gold. To just be together, just the two of them and nobody else, it was heaven. And Sasuke was the angel, Itachi thought.

After a while Sasuke's stomach began to rumble.  
>"Hungry, otouto?" Itachi asked, smiling.<p>

Sasuke nodded and sat up, stretched like a cat. Itachi was suddenly reminded of something.

"Otouto… I've bought _tomatoes_."

Upon hearing that magical word, Sasuke's eyes lit up. His face filled with joy and all sleepiness disappeared.

He left the room in a fraction of a second, rushed down the stairs to get to his beloved tomatoes. Itachi chuckled and followed after him. As soon he entered the kitchen, a eagerly, beaming kid more known as his little brother glomped him with force. "Thank you Nii-san! I love you!" After placing some messy kisses on Itachi's face, he rushed over to the bowl where the vegetables was, and eagerly began to munch. Enthusiasm was practically beaming from him.

Itachi smiled. It was so easy for him to make Sasuke happy, and Sasuke's happiness always was his own.  
>After breakfast – and convincing Sasuke that he needed to eat more than just tomatoes – Itachi asked as they went upstairs:<p>

"What do you want to do today, otouto?"

Sasuke looked surprised, as if he just realized that it was Saturday.

"I just want to be with you, nii-san" he answered again. He reached up and kissed his brother eagerly. Itachi could feel the taste of tomato on his lips as he responded the kiss. After pulling back, Sasuke entwined his fingers in his aniki's hair. "Can I fix your hair, nii-san?" Itachi nodded and sat down on his bed in his room. He smiled gently at Sasuke. "Go ahead, otouto."

Itachi's morning hair ritual was something both of them enjoyed. Positioning himself behind his nii-san, Sasuke sat on his knees and began to pull his fingers through Itachi's long hair. Truth to be told, he adored his older brother's hair. It was so soft, shining, and so beautiful. It was an irreplaceable part of him…

He ran his finger through it, collected the black strands in his hands and then let go and watched it fall down on his shoulders again. He nuzzled his face affectionately against Itachi's neck, smelled the wonderful, reassuring scent of his nii-san. Itachi smiled at this and reached out for Sasuke's hand. Sasuke took it as he began to comb his aniki's hair with the other.

_~I like what you do to my hair  
>Who knew that looking a mess could feel so good<br>Toss it and tease it  
>Run your fingers through it<br>Love how you do it~_

Carefully to don't cause him pain, he sorted out the tangles. Then he collected it again and tied it up in a loose ponytail. As he gave Itachi a kiss behind his ear, he smiled: "All done, nii-san."

_~Now go and mess it up, mess it up  
>Baby, mess it up<br>Mess it up, mess it up  
>Do it 'till I can't get enough~<em>

Itachi turned around and placed him reverse in his lap. Sasuke happily buried his face aginst his t-shirt and once again breathed that scent. Now it was Itachi's turn to softly stroke his bangs from his face and kiss every inch of his face – his lips, nose, cheeks, eyelids, forehead… He thought about all the years when he'd been thinking about a moment like this. Now it was reality.

Sasuke gasped when Itachi suddenly lay down with his otouto beneath him, pressed against his chest.

"Nii-san" Sasuke could feel his cheeks begin to heat. Again.

Itachi straddled him with a loving smile. Oh, that craving for Sasuke once again was awakened. That yearning, his own guilty pleasure… Now when he knew that Sasuke felt the same he felt more free. But he couldn't go much further than this, because Sasuke was still too young and innocent. Or so he thought…

But one of his dreams had come true at least – his precious otouto was lying beneath him with flushing cheeks – God, he was so beautiful – and met his hungry, loving gaze with anticipation.

Itachi leaned forward, placed his arms on each side of his baby brother's head and kissed him passionately, putting all of his weight on him. Sasuke didn't seem to mind, he responded immediately, ate at his lips with delicate need. Itachi gently nibbled on his lips, licked them and asked for entrance. Soon his tongue slipped into Sasuke's mouth and he explored that hot cavern. Sasuke closed his eyes. He thoroughly enjoyed being this close to his beloved aniki, he loved having his body on top of his, he loved the way his nii-san placed his hands on each side of his head and continued to kiss him with vigor and passion. He reached up, wrapped his arms around Itachi's neck just as the other thrust his hips forwards a bit and send tingles of pleasure through their bodies, when, suddenly…

"Nii-san, what happened to your arms?"

Itachi froze. Sasuke looked up at him with worry in his face. He stared at the fresh wounds on Itachi's forearms that Yumiko had caused. Itachi had totally forgotten to conceal them after everything that happened yesterday. Sasuke couldn't take his eyes from those cuts.

Itachi realized his mistake. The wounds were longer and more remarkable than he'd thought.

"…Nothing, otouto", he mumbled.

"It doesn't look like _nothing_", Sasuke remarked, concerned. "Did you cut yourself, nii-san?"

Itachi pulled back, got off Sasuke and sat down beside him. "Don't worry, Sasuke, I'm just fine." His voice was sharp, a sign to his brother that the discussion was ended.

But Sasuke would let it go, this time. A thought reminded itself in his head. "It has something to do with _her, _right? That strange woman who showed up yesterday…"

Itachi didn't answer. His otouto was very clever...  
>Sasuke rose as well, stood up beside the bed. Now his voice was sharp too.<p>

"Do you know what, Itachi? I'm so tired of this. Why can't you tell me the truth for a single once?"  
>With that, he simply turned around and left the room without a word.<p>

Itachi remained there he was, watched him go. It felt as if his heart went away with Sasuke and left him there empty.

.

A clear drop, falling softly. And another. A soft drop, falling down on white texture.  
>A crystal-like, small, clogged bottle, that was turned upside-down in a white, slender hand.<p>

Within the small bottle, a thick crimson fluid was floating. Purple eyes examined it closely.

_The Blood of the Uchiha…. such a powerful essence.  
><em>

_It's not enough._

_I need more._

_As long as you insist on keeping this deal, you haven't seen the end of me, Itachi Uchiha._

_._

Sasuke was standing for himself in the kitchen, slicing some tomatoes in eatable pieces, as he was thinking. It wasn't many times in his life he had quarreled with Itachi, and it always was forgotten and overcame soon. But it was always just as hard when it happened.

He had a sour taste in his mouth, an invisible weight on his heart, which came from arguing with the one he loved more than anything. He hated being pissed off with Itachi, but for the love of tomatoes – he _wasn't _a child anymore! Itachi didn't need to protect him all the time, not when it meant that he would lie to shelter him from the truth! Why couldn't he know what was going on? He had no idea why this woman – Yumiko – had showed up from the blue, but he understood that something was wrong.

Suddenly strong arms wrapped around him from behind.

"Forgive me, otouto, I am really sorry that I upset you", Itachi's low, regretful voice was heard. Sasuke could feel his resistance and bad mood melt away in the same second Itachi touched him, he was unable to not forget his beloved older brother.

"It's okay aniki, I just wish… could you please tell me what's going on? I can handle it", Sasuke begged.

To his relief and surprise, Itachi wasn't upset from the request. "Sasuke, I promise that I will tell you everything I know about this as soon as _I_ know. Deal, otouto?"

Sasuke pouted and thought for a moment, before nodding. "Deal, nii-san."

The tension in the air was released upon this, and they were both finally able to relax. Itachi nuzzled his face against Sasuke's neck. He was so deep in love with him, his sweet, precious angel.

He eyed the sliced tomatoes on the kitchen counter in front of them. "Maa, otouto, are you addicted to tomatoes?" he chuckled.

Sasuke pouted. "I thought you knew, nii-san." His facial expression changed. "I need them to get rid of stress and keep calm in difficult situations", he teased.

Itachi laughed softly at this, turned his little brother around, placed his arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. "That can wait, now I need you", he said when they tried to catch their breath.  
>Despite this loving joy, Itachi thought a bit bitterly: <em>Great, Itachi. Now you've made another promise that you maybe aren't able to keep.<em>

_._

"So… you and Itachi are together then?" Kiba grinned. They were walking home together from school.  
>Sasuke nodded, smiling.<p>

"That's just weird", Shino stated. "Relatives aren't supposed to be together that way."

"No, and Sasuke doesn't love tomatoes."

"Hey! What are you saying, Kiba-" Sasuke exclaimed.

The said boy rolled his eyes. "You don't get it, Sasuke, I wasn't serious."

"It's still weird", Shino said. "They're _brothers_."

"No, I think it's not", Neji interfered. "I like Hinata. I think it's decided by destiny, that our clans have such strong bonds to the family. I mean, it's destiny's decision…"

"Weird."

"Do you know what, Shino? When two people love each other, it's strong love. But if they're siblings, the love is _twice_ as strong as the ordinary!" Kiba said, grinning at the idea.

"…Weird."

"So what that they're brothers? Kiba shouted.

"It's called _incest _and it's sick and illegal."

"Aw, com'on, Shino. Are you pissed off just because you don't have an older brother like Itachi to live alone with?" Akamaru barked in agreement.

Sasuke sensed that a minor fight was coming, and interfered: "Thanks, Kiba. Let's not argue about it. Shino, you're also my friend and therefore I'm not upset. But you need to know something important: I love my nii-san, in every way, and nothing can change that."

Kiba still grinned. "Twice as strong!" He whispered triumphantly as they walked home.

Neji snorted. "I said it was destiny."

.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>  
><strong><br>Phew! The time here is currently 00:09 and I'm veeeery tired. I just couldn't stop writing when I got into the mood! x3 But now I'm going to sleep and I'll post this chapter tomorrow… I mean, later today.**  
><strong>9 hours later: Finally I can update! :P I'm actually proud with how the chapter turned out..<strong>

**Anyway, please review!**

**See ya! Au revoir! ^^**


	4. Chapter 4: Blood Ties

**Hi everybody! First of all, I want to thank everybody who reviewed so far! It means so much to me! ^^**

**Chapter 4: "Blood Ties"**

** Now we have Akatsuki in the picture! Yay... hidden gayness warning, maybe. But this story is already filled with it xD Anyway, enjoy.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>In the shining, clear light of an early morning, Sasuke tip-toed out of his room, went over to his brother's bedroom. He silently sat down on the edge of the bed, eyeing his sleeping brother. Or at least, <em>seem-to-be <em>sleeping brother.

Suddenly an arm shot out and swiftly dragged Sasuke down under the covers, pressed him tightly against his older brother. Sasuke smiled, as he snuggled up against him in the welcoming warmth of his body.

Itachi put an arm around him and kept his grip. He always was lovingly, but some days he wanted Sasuke to be so close to him as possible, he wanted more body contact. Although he held him firmly, he always was gentle to not hurt his little otouto.

Sasuke loved it. He realized that it was sheer luck that made him find the note in Itachi's room and got them to be even closer, in a new kind of relationship. A week since that day had passed already, and he loved every kind of interaction between them. Of course, Itachi used to hug him tightly before too, but now it was so much better. When he would kiss Sasuke senseless, when he'd be lying on top of him, rest their foreheads together… Just as he began to think about this kind of things, he realized that he needed it so much. Right now…

At the same moment, Itachi began to sit up in the bed. Sasuke's breath hitched when he looked his older brother in the eyes.

Itachi noticed the faint blush on his baby brother's face, and he reached out to gently caress his cheek, closed the little distance between them in no time. But to Sasuke's surprise, instead he swiftly lifted him up, placed him over his shoulder as he stood up.

"You have school today, otouto, don't forget" he chuckled as he left the room, still carrying his brother on his shoulder. "You must eat breakfast now or you'll be late."

"Nii-san! Let me down!" Sasuke complained half-hearted and had to grip the front of Itachi's shirt to maintain his balance. But he knew that Itachi never would let him be hurt. "_Nii-san!_"

Itachi laughed a bit at Sasuke's angry face. "You're so cute when you're frustrated; do you know that, dear otouto?" He walked down the stairs, ignored Sasuke's angry demands to be sat down.

On Itachi's bedside table were two framed photographs, which he always had visible wherever they lived.  
>The first photograph depicted Sasuke as a baby, when he was some months old. Innocent and small, with his trademark spiky hair visible.<p>

The other picture was Itachi and Sasuke, a six-year-old Itachi holding a small bundle in his arms – a newborn Sasuke, at the hospital. On the other side of the frame, somebody had written: _Proud big brother – Sasuke's Birth, July 23__rd__. _The handwriting was neat and feminine, it wasn't Itachi's, but Sasuke never knew who had written it. Itachi wouldn't tell him. Sasuke's big brother liked to keep pictures of them as children in the house, although any parents never were visible.

_Nii-san promised to tell me everything as soon as_ he _knows,_ Sasuke thought where he sat in the kitchen, ate his tomatoes and talked with his nii-san. He had finally begun to forget about that strange Yumiko, because she hadn't showed up again and Itachi never spoke a word about it.

After breakfast, Sasuke went to prepare for school while Itachi cleaned up the dishes. When he was about to left the house, his brother said:

"Otouto, I think it's best I warn you… Akatsuki will be coming over today."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Today? Oh no…Will they be having party here again?"

Itachi nodded. "I'm sorry, there was nothing I could do to stop it. You know how they are. They use our house as some kind of night club once in a week. Just be prepared, otouto."

"I will, nii-san. When are they coming over?"

"I think they'll be here when you leave school today."

"Okay. See you later, then." Sasuke gave him a short goodbye-hug and walked off.

.

The friends - four boys and a dog - were walking home together from school as usual. The day had passed quickly for Sasuke, who had spent most of the lessons thinking about his brother or planning how to handle Hidan later today. Hidan was a party animal, to say the least.

Kiba played with Akamaru as they walked and babbled about nothing in particular. Sasuke listened half-hearted, and Neji interjected things about destiny. Everything was as usual, until…

"Hey Sasuke? By the way, have you and Itachi kissed yet?"

Everybody stared at Sasuke. Shino did vomit sounds. He still wasn't fond of the idea of two brothers getting together.

An unfamiliar feeling of heat spread over Sasuke's cheeks as they gawked at him – Kiba with honest curiousity, Neji expecting and Shino disgusted.  
>"Yes…" he answered, noticed how lame it sounded. "Many times. We've even made out…"<p>

Kiba grinned. Sasuke didn't know why, but his friend seemed to be fascinated by their relationship. But Shino wasn't happy.

"Incest freaks", he muttered.

"Damn it Shino, now you went too far...!"

"I think you still don't get the point", Sasuke said as he tried to stop a very angry Kiba from strangling Shino in the next second. "I've been with Itachi my whole life. It's just natural for us. I can't remember anyone but him in my childhood, and honestly, why do you think it's so wrong? He was the one who learned me how to talk and walk when I was little, he helps me with homework and is like a parent for me sometimes, even if he still is my big brother…"

Sasuke stopped when he noticed the school's troublesome gang pass by. They glared daggers at him but they didn't dare to do anything else.  
>When he was slightly younger, Sasuke had had some unpleasant encounters with them. But that day, when he came home beaten up, Itachi had been completely enraged. Sasuke had never seen his brother that angry before. Itachi possessed brute force in his muscles, and it was rather amusing to see the big bad gang beaten to a pulp by him.<p>

_If you ever dare to touch Sasuke again, you'll be so badly hurt that you won't return to school for years. _It was what Itachi had said to them, and it worked – at first, they even helped to look out for Sasuke so that nobody else hurt him as well. They were horrified of Itachi's red-eyed rage that appeared if somebody harmed his little brother. Now the gang kept its distance from Sasuke. Though, he couldn't help but to feel a little bit uncomfortable from their glaring, but he knew that he was forbidden territory to them.

.

When Sasuke had said goodbye to his friends and came home, he was met with an eagerly organization that was about to enter the house and a tired-looking older brother. Itachi knew all too well how these kinds of parties could turn out.

"Hey Sasuke! Ready to have some fucking party?" Hidan shouted. "I've brought some fucking good drinks, wanna taste?"

"He's not allowed to drink alcohol, Hidan, and stop using those words in front of him", Itachi said grimly. He seemed to be in a bad mood.

"Everytime Hidan gets drunk, _I_ have to drag him home," Kakuzu complained.

"This party is gonna be a BANG", Deidara declared.

"Is there some corps for me?" Zetsu asked eagerly.

"No. And no alcohol", Itachi said.

"Aw, man, com'on, please…"

"No, Zetsu, Hidan. That's what you get for partying with an under-age", Sasori teased. "Mini-Itachi is only ten, if you haven't forgotten."

"I'm almost _thirteen_, Sasori! And stop calling me that!"

The others ignored him. "LET'S HAVE PARTY, GUYS!"

And with that, their villa was stormed by the whole Akatsuki. And hell broke loose.

Hidan defied Itachi's order and began to swill large amounts of alcohol. The weasel didn't have time to notice this though; he was busy with keeping Deidara from blowing the whole house up, Zetsu from eating their neighbors and Tobi from running out on the street and be run over by passing cars. Sasuke was stuck with Konan who fussed over him and Pein who was deadly bored. The following hours was spent on saving so much of the neighborhood as possible.

When the two Uchiha brothers finally got some free time, Itachi was pissed off and tired and Sasuke was bored and in need of some cuddling with his nii-san. They went out together on the porch, left the messy living room behind them. Itachi soon connected their lips in a soft kiss, placing his hands on Sasuke's shoulders to drag him closer. But then he noticed a white flash in the corner of his eye and spun around.

Nothing seemed to be there, but he knew who had arrived.

She had returned.

"What's wrong, nii-san?" Sasuke wondered.

"Nothing, otouto. I just need to check something. Go back to the others, I'll be right back", Itachi said softly. "And tell Hidan that if you consume a single drop of alcohol, I'll be hunting him down later."

Sasuke laughed. "I will. Take care, nii-san." With that, he turned around and returned to the living room.  
>Heat and ear-splitting loud music struck him as soon as he entered the room. It had been reduced from a nice, perfect cleaned living room to a junkie lair.<p>

Hidan danced in the middle of the room with a bottle in a steady grip. Deidara was busy with blowing up the curtains, Sasori watched lazily some program on the TV and Pein and Konan had since long gone upstairs to do God know what. Kakuzu fussed over his money and Kisame was blowing up balloons. Tobi wasn't even visible. Who knew what ideas he had got...

Zetsu was sitting on the carpet with something dangerously similar to a burned corpse in his arms and munched happily.

"What the hell…" Sasuke gasped.

"I know, I know, I burned it on the barbeque," Zetsu's white side said dismissing. "But it taste real nice anyway. Do you want some?"

"Which neighbor did you kill?" Sasuke asked, appalled.

"Actually none of them", the white side said. "Just a postman."  
>"<strong>Do you have some barbeque sauce?<strong>" the black side asked.

Disgusted, Sasuke turned around and went to check on the others. "Where's Tobi?"

"…I think he ran out", Kisame grinned.

"The kid is already dead by now, I suppose", Sasori muttered. "There's a highway a few miles away, there's no chance that he missed it."

"God! " Sasuke exclaimed, despondent.

"I'm right here!" Pein said as he leaned over the banister on the second floor.

"And what are you doing up there? ...Don't answer that, by the way. I don't want to know…" Sasuke sighed.

"I'm just playing ludo with Konan, she got a headache."

"And _where's_ nii-san?" Sasuke asked himself. Itachi said that he would be right back.  
>He left the messy living room and began to search for his brother.<p>

Twenty minutes later, Sasuke had searched the bottom floor and the garden thoroughly, but he didn't find him. He hadn't checked the second floor, because Itachi wouldn't sneak up there without telling him, would he?

The others wondered where their host had gone, and Sasuke just couldn't put up with this mess anymore. Itachi was the only one who could keep it in some control. He went upstairs as a big crash was heard from the kitchen.

"My motherfucking drinks!" somebody, probably Hidan, whined.  
>He had to find Itachi right now. Who knew what the drunk organization could do?<p>

"Nii-san?" Sasuke hurried up the stairs. Finally, he got a glimpse of his brother. "Nii-san, what are you doing? They're waiting for us downstairs…"

Through the open bedroom door, he saw Itachi lie on his bed.

"Do you feel sick, nii-san?" He entered the room and saw his brother lying limp with closed eyes and an expressionless face. Sasuke's heart raced.

"Nii-san!" he squeaked and rushed to the bed. He leaned over Itachi's limp body and shook him gently, tugged at his sleeve. No reaction.

Sasuke was terrified. "Aniki!" He crawled up on the bed, beside his brother, and began to shake him with more force. Itachi still didn't move, not a sound escaped his lips.

It didn't look as if he was sleeping. Rather as if he was…

"Nii-san! Wake up! Wake up, nii-san! Aniki!" Sasuke squeaked and cried, tried to get some kind of reaction from his beloved older brother. This had never happened before.

Then he noticed a small trail of blood down Itachi's forearms, and he was reminded of the cuts he had seen there before. Had his nii-san hurt himself willingly? No, why should he do something like that?

"Nii-san… what's wrong? Please nii-san, wake up, please…"

The world around Sasuke narrowed until only he and his unconscious brother was left. His heart beat so fast that it hurt, the adrenaline rushed through his veins and he gripped the front of Itachi's shirt tightly, shook with fear. "Please nii-san, please don't leave me here…"

By now Sasuke was crying for real. His brother was so strong, nothing could hurt him… and now he lay here, as if he was…

Dead.

He just couldn't lose Itachi. Without Itachi, he had nothing. Itachi was a vital part of him!

The tears flowed from Sasuke's eyes, he didn't know what he was doing, he just kept his grip around his nii-san's shirt and cried his eyes out against his chest. He couldn't even feel it rise from breathing.

No, no, no, nii-san couldn't be…!

"P-p-ple-ease n-n-is-sa-n-n, d-don't l-e-e-a-ve " Sasuke gasped and sobbed, his teeth shook and the tears blinded him.

"Sasuke?" somebody said, close to him. Sasuke was too deep in his breakdown to realize who it was, until he was swiftly wrapped in an embrace.  
>"Sasuke, darling otouto, don't cry…" Upon hearing that familiar, beloved voice, Sasuke gave a start and stopped crying for a moment. With tear-glazed eyes, he looked up at his beloved nii-san. Itachi was there, and he looked well. He wasn't dead.<p>

When he realized that, he pressed himself desperately against the elder, digging his fingers into his shoulders and cried more violently than before.  
>"Nii-s-san..n-ni-san…I-I was s-so scared…"<p>

Itachi hugged him tightly, slowly rocking him back and forth and tried to calm him down. "Hush, otouto, don't cry, it's okay, I'm here now. I'm not going to leave you, beloved little brother…" He knew that the only way to deal with Sasuke's breakdowns was to comfort him like he was a little child.

But Sasuke was really upset this time and kept on sobbing and gasping for dear life. He clung to Itachi as if he was going to drown. What if Itachi really had been dead? He couldn't even think about it.

Seeing his deep sorrow almost brought tears to Itachi's eyes as well. He gently placed a hand on the back of his little brother's head and slowly stroked his spiky black hair. When he was little, Sasuke used to fall asleep when he did that.

After a long while, Sasuke calmed down enough to stop shaking. It helped much to have Itachi there, as always, as a solid rock that could take anything, support him when he was about to fall.

"There, there", Itachi said and nuzzled his hair affectionately.

_This has gone too far, _he thought, _we made this deal to not hurt Sasuke. And now he's broken… I never thought that my body would react that badly after the "blood donation". How much does she need?_

"I love you nii-san", Sasuke mumbled, still clinging to Itachi.  
>The elder was brought from his thoughts and a small smile graced his lips. "I love you too, more than anything else, my sweet little otouto."<p>

But Sasuke didn't hear, he passed out from too much stress.

.

"Whadde fuck happened to the brothers?" Hidan slurred and leaned heavily against Kakuzu for support. "Fucking horny motherfuckers…"

"…I don't think they went upstairs to do what you think they're doing," Kakuzu muttered. "Is 'fuck' the only word you can say properly?"

"That was a tasty human", Zetsu purred and licked his lips.

"MY ART IS A BANG UN, please danna understand, hn!"

"My art is better than yours, brat!"

"I'm going to show you some true art, hn!"

They all became quiet when Itachi walked down the stairs.  
>Except Hidan, of course.<p>

"Whadda been doing all this fuckin' time, 'Tachi? Taken a nap? I began to fucking wonder, ya know…"

"And where's Mini-Itachi?" Zetsu's white side asked.

"He's asleep upstairs," the older brother answered.

"**And where's Tobi?**" the other half wondered.

Itachi ignored them and said: "You've been 'partying' for twelve hours straight, now I ask you to leave the house at once", he ordered.

The others sighed and yawned. "Alright, see ya some other day then. Good-"

Pein stopped Deidara by gripping his shirt and roughly pull him back. Their "host" could be very angry if they didn't clean up the mess they had done in his perfect house, and most of the Akatsuki members knew that.

When they saw Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan surface, everybody knew that none of them could escape.

"Tomorrow, 8:00 AM, you'll be here and cleaning up _everything_", Itachi said calmly.

"But that's only five hours from now, un!" Deidara sounded appalled.

Sasori nudged him. "If you know your own best, brat, you should do as he says."

"I need my seventeen hours of sleep", Zetsu complained as they began to walk out through the door. It was quite abused – Hidan had shaved it with his sword a couple of times. "See ya tomorrow! We must go and save Tobi now", Pein said as he led the way.

.

When the Akatsuki had left, Itachi was standing there in the mess, feeling a chill through his body. A coldness, a tension was sweeping in over his heart and it was not because of the junkie lair his house had turned into.

He examined the wounds on his forearms, as he heard Sasuke's broken voice in his head: _"Please nii-san, please don't leave me here…"  
><em>

At first, he had been sitting on the bed and looked at his arms, and the next thing he remembered, he was lying down, slowly waking up with a heavy headache and noticed a crying and heartbroken little brother next to him. He realized that he must have passed out.

_It's really having bad effects on me_, he thought. Before, at the party, Yumiko had showed up secretly and demanded more blood from him.

She had taken up her razors, pressed them firmly into Itachi's smooth skin until his crimson fluid was flowing. It was a long minute in hell for Itachi, the pain was stronger than any physical pain he had felt before.

Then she collected up his blood in her little crystal bottle, as she always did, and left. But first she said some things.  
>"<em>I guess I was a little hasty, ne? When I showed up the other day and talked to your dear little one… I just couldn't resist seeing him." She laughed with a wry expression on her pale face. Her purple eyes glistened as if she was a predator, looking at a prey. "I don't think this is enough, Itachi-kun. What you've been sacrificing for all these years…what your family sacrificed when they defied me…" Her low, soft voice echoed around Itachi. <em>

"_I am sorry to say it, but think I'll have to take some from Sasuke-chan too…And you know what will happen to him then."_

* * *

><p><em>.<br>_

**Author's Note:**

I just love it when the Akatsuki goes party... I can't resist writing about it xD  
>I know some things here may seem unclear, but I promise, everything will be revealed soon or later.<p>

**And now I would be happy if you could tell me what you think about this. Review! ;)  
><strong>


	5. Chapter 5: Never Enough

**Chapter 5 "Never Enough****"**

**Make out scene in this chapter ^^ Yay!  
><strong>

**.**

* * *

><p>"Gosh, what the fuck is Jashin-sama doing up there? I don't have time to do fucking shit like this, gotta pray!" a very tired-looking Hidan complained as he cleaned the toilet. Of course he wasn't doing it willingly – Kakuzu stood leaned against the doorframe and surveyed him, on Itachi's command.<p>

"Shut up and clean it", Kakuzu muttered. "_You _was the one who wanted party, and _you _was the one who got drunk and vomited all over the bathroom_. I_ am not responsible for your mistakes."

"The fuck, Kakuzu! At least, I wasn't the one who killed a fucking postman to get dinner!"

At the other end of the house, Deidara was really pissed off.

"DAMN YOU DANNA UN, I'M NOT GOING TO BUY NEW CURTAINS LIKE SOME FUCKING MAID, UN!"

Sasori sighed. "You're not going to get away."

"And where's that weasel, by the way, hn?" The blonde turned to Sasuke.

"Stop calling nii-san that", Sasuke snapped as he washed the kitchen floor. "Nii-san is out helping Kisame with repairing the barbecue that _somebody _destroyed yesterday!"

Instantly realizing the hidden taunt, Zetsu poked his head out from under the sofa.

"I heard that!" the white side yelled.

"**It's not so easy to grill a whole human on you****r stupid little barbecue", **the black side said angrily.

"We got guts on the carpet in the living room!" Sasuke hissed, tired as well.

"**Don't mess with me, kid, or you're going to be my next meal."**

"Oh, I'm _soo_ scared..."

"Hey, Mini-Itachi, if you know your own best..." Sasori interrupted.

"Don't even begin, Sasori..."

"And Zetsu, if _you _know your own best..." he continued warningly as Zetsu walked into the kitchen, glaring at Sasuke.

"**Maybe **_**he**_** tastes good..."**

"Zetsu..."

"Next time you're hungry, go to McDonalds or something, but don't kill innocent people in the neighborhood!" Sasuke muttered angrily.

"**Hmm.. when you say hamburger... It reminds me of a human..."**

"What the hell is wrong with you, Zetsu? Are you even listening?"

"**Just imahhgine... the bread represents the skin. The ketchup is like the blood and the meat is like the bone in the middle... ahh..."**

"Fine, but don't eat humans in our district! Nii-san could be arrested for murder while _you _could just walk away! And how come you eat meat? You're a _plant_, for all it's worth! A _plant_!"

"**That's it! I'm going to fry you, brat****!"**

"Zetsu, stop!" Sasori hurried forward, stood between them. "Stop picking a fight with each other! And Zetsu, when did you become suicidal?"

"..."

"I think none of us will ever forget the time when you tried to turn Sasuke into a stew!" Sasori winced at the thought of Itachi's reaction.

"Or when you tried to make Kisame to sushi", Sasuke muttered.

"How is it going?" Itachi's calm, soft voice was heard as he slipped into the kitchen.

"It's fine, I suppose", Sasori muttered. Zetsu snorted.

"Nii-san! There you are!" Sasuke's bad mood was washed away and he glomped his brother with joy. Itachi laughed softly, hugged him back and nuzzled his hair.

"You've been cleaning for hours now, otouto. It's so kind of you to help them. Shall we take a break?"

Sasuke nodded eagerly, and to his surprise, Itachi suddenly dragged him out from the kitchen and into the living room, which now was empty.  
>Something told him that his big brother wanted more than just a little cuddling.<p>

And his thought were confirmed when Itachi suddenly gripped his waist and gently shoved him against the wall. Sasuke gasped in surprise when Itachi's soft lips found his.

Breathless, he let himself be firmly pinned up against the wall by his brother's body. Itachi kissed him eagerly, pressed his lips against his hungrily. Sasuke placed his hands in his nii-san's hair to drag him closer as they deepened their heavenly sweet kiss.

Itachi let his tongue sweep over Sasuke's bottom lip, and Sasuke eagerly opened his mouth to grant him entrance.  
>Their tounges massaged each other, Sasuke soon gave in and let his brother explore his mouth as much as he wanted to. It felt so hot and wet, so wonderful...<p>

Finally Itachi pulled back and looked him in the eyes.

"Nii-san..." Sasuke gasped. Itachi stroked his hot cheeks a couple of times, before kissing Sasuke again, with more force. Now he let his hands go under Sasuke's t-shirt, roamed his chest. Sasuke was in a daze. He didn't even notice when Itachi backed from the wall, lifted him up bridal style.

Soon he found himself lying on the couch, with Itachi sitting beside him.  
>"Beloved little otouto", he breathed, leaned down to let their foreheads touch. Then he nuzzled their noses together, before finally moving down to his lips, pulled back a little until their mouths were some inches apart from each other.<p>

Sasuke's face was flushing with excitement. He could feel his brother's hot breath on his face, and he longed to have those soft, yet firm lips on his again.

"Nii-san! Kiss me again!", he demanded breathlessly.

Itachi didn't obey him at first. Instead he moved his face to Sasuke's neck.  
>Sasuke shivered with joy when he felt his brother's tongue lap at his skin. Then he felt Itachi's teeth gently sweep over his neck. And so that soft tongue again.<p>

"Nii-san, kiss me", Sasuke moaned.

"You don't know what you do to me, otouto", Itachi said huskily before moving up again and placed himself on top of Sasuke, connected their lips again.

"OOI, KAKUZU, GET YOUR HOT ASS HERE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME FUCKING UCHIHACEST! FOR REAL!"

"Do you worship us?" Sasuke gasped and broke their heated kiss.

"Get out from here now or I'll kill you, Hidan", Itachi growled.

The Jashinist ignored him. "Heh, I've always seen you two as a couple. Kakuzu, do you remember the first fucking time Sasuke met us? Things seemed to be clear already back then..."

"Yeah, the kid was just five or something", Kakuzu muttered.

"The way he clinged to Itachi's leg..." Hidan mused.

"You're too dirtyminded, Hidan. He was scared of me, that's why he did it."

"Hah! No fucking way! Not even a pig would be scared of you, dear partner..."

"Well, Sasuke clearly was..."

"In that fucking case, he was scared of _my_ fucking handsomeness and Jashin!"

"Who wouldn't be scared of you when you're drenched in blood after sacrificing to Jashin?" Sasuke yelled from the couch.

"Hidan, Kakuzu, get out", Itachi snarled, eager to continue make out with his otouto.

"Come, Hidan", Kakuzu ordered and began to drag Hidan out of the room.

"No, fuck you, 'Kuzu! I want some fanservice, your asshole! Eat a -!"

"I thought _I_ was the seme. Come on now before I kill you..."

"Send me a tape later!" Hidan shouted from far away. "You know what I mean..." He was abruptly interrupted, Kakuzu had probably covered his mouth.

When the partners finally were gone, Itachi looked down at his little brother again, ignored the interruption. But Sasuke's cheeks were flushed from embarrassment from Hidan's and Kakuzu's conversation.

"Nii-san, what did Hidan think we were going to do?"

Itachi gently kissed his cheeks. Sasuke was too innocent. He had no idea what his older brother had in mind...

"Let nii-san show you, otouto", he purred in Sasuke's ear and moved his hips a little.

Sasuke gasped. "Nii-san..." He couldn't say anymore because his brother had already begun to kiss him passionately, slipped his tongue into his mouth as he ground his hips against his baby brother's. Itachi was becoming aroused, and he knew that he should stop before ending up doing something that his beloved little otouto wasn't ready for.

But Sasuke moaned eagerly and kissed back feverishly, pressed Itachi as tight against him as he could. He totally loved these kinds of interactions with his older brother, and nothing told him if it was wrong or sinful or anything – he was spending time with his beloved aniki, plainly.

.

Yumiko covered her face in her hands. Her whole body was shaking with sobs.

_Damn it_, she thought_. Why now? I need my strength…_

As if all her strength was drained from her body, she fell down on her knees on the cold stone floor. Her head was spinning and aching. _Please let it end. _

When these kinds of emotional breakdowns hit her, she was helpless. She could only wait and hope that it would be over soon. Traumatic memories still haunted her, took her whole being in possession.

_No,_ she thought, _please don't remind me of this… I… I can't take it… No_

But her conscience was cruel. She wasn't reminded of things she'd done in her life, she was reminded of what she _didn't _do.  
>Her hands shook and she grasped her head firmly as if to shut out the pain<em>.<em>

_I was so stupid. How could I be so naïve, so selfish?_

_If I only kept my promise… If I only did what I was supposed to do… damn it, how could I be so dumb? If I only were there…_

The pale woman slowly stopped shaking. Her cheeks were dry; she was past the cry state long ago. She had no more tears to shed. Yumiko never felt guilty over her assassinations and other missions, that part didn't reach her.

Just one thing in her past haunted her still. Something that she kept locked deep within her, she never allowed it to reach the surface.  
>She gritted her teeth, tried to force back her emotions. It was so hard to forget… everything was her own fault. Everything.<p>

She rose from the floor, tied the ribbon around her waist tightly. It was time to go to business.

.

Two days had passed since the Akatsuki's party, but Sasuke was still exhausted like he hadn't slept for years. He was sitting in his school bench, beside Kiba and Neji, and tried to keep himself awake. It was tempting to just give in and sleep, but he knew that his nii-san wanted him to learn as much as possible. When he left his home this morning, Itachi had gently pinched his cheek and told him to not fall asleep during the lesson again.

And that reminded him of the lovely make-out sessions he had with his brother the last days. The way Itachi kissed him… and Hidan's comments when he saw them…

By now, Sasuke didn't hear a word of what the teacher was saying, he was already too deep in the universe where he always was with his God – his older brother. He knew that Iruka would scold him sooner or later for his lack of attention, but he didn't care.

Instead, he imagined himself and Itachi lying together on his bed, making out in the cover of night… or feeding each other with cake…  
>His imagination flowed freely, and it took a great deal of effort for Kiba to gain his attention again.<p>

"Hey, Sasuke? Sasuke?" He prodded Sasuke on his shoulder with the edge of his pencil.

"_You mean the world to me, otouto. Do you want to marry me, Sasuke?" Itachi was kneeling in front of him, smiling, holding out a small, black box…_

"Yes, I want to, nii-san", Sasuke blurted out, "I want to!" Who could possibly turn Itachi down when he smiled like that?

Suddenly he realized that he was sitting in the classroom, and Kiba, Shino and two others were gawking at him.

"What are you doing?" Kiba hissed. "Sensei asked you a question eight times, but you didn't answer."

"Sorry, I was just… daydreaming", Sasuke answered. It was quite easy to tell – his face was dreamily and his eyes bright.

"You're really in love with him, aren't you?" Kiba asked, he knew who Sasuke was thinking of.

Sasuke nodded and turned his back against Shino, he didn't want to see his reaction. "Of course."

After school, he eagerly hurried home to see his nii-san again. He threw their front door open, hurried in and closed it carelessly behind him. He wanted to kiss his nii-san, right now…

When he came into the kitchen, he began to wonder where his brother was. Itachi always greeted him in the hall as soon as he came home from school.

"Nii-san, I'm home!"

No answer.

"Nii-san?"

Sasuke went to their living room, looked for his brother. Still no trace of his nii-san. Everything looked just as perfect as always, now when the mess was cleaned up. Suddenly he was reminded of what happened to Itachi during the party, when he found his brother lying unconscious and hurt on his bed.  
>What if it had happened again?<p>

Sasuke's heart began to beat faster and he became ice cold in his whole body.

"Nii-san!" he cried out, rushing up the stairs. "_Aniki!_"

But he stopped dead when he heard voices coming from Itachi's room. He heard his nii-san's voice – thank God, he was alright – and another voice that he despised by now. He listened closely.

Itachi was talking. And now he wasn't his kissing, eagerly purring nii-san, he was the ordinary, rational Itachi, just Sasuke's big brother.

"I've said this over and over for the past years – I **will not **let you take blood from Sasuke. I won't let him go through that pain that follows later. Anything could happen if his blood were to be poisoned and experimented with. Isn't it enough with mine?"

A heavy sigh. "If that's where you stand, Itachi-kun, then I will have no choice." Sasuke recognized the voice by now – it was Yumiko's. She sounded grim.

"Try to stop me from getting it, Itachi."

When he heard her voice, Sasuke sensed that a fight was coming. How far would they go? In sudden fear and concern, he rushed to Itachi's room, prepared for everything. When he entered the room, his fears were confirmed. Yumiko was standing at the window, looking at Itachi as if she was about to fight him. Itachi seemed prepared as well. He looked grim and determined.

"Nii-san!"

"Sasuke, get out of here", Itachi said. He tried to sound calm and convincing, but Sasuke wasn't fooled. How strong was this opponent, really? But nothing could beat his nii-san. Itachi was one of the strongest in the whole Akatsuki...

Yumiko's eyes sparkled. "I want more blood" she said and with that, she threw herself at him. Sasuke only saw a flash of glittering steel and black before red drops of blood flew through the air, and he screamed high in fear when he saw his nii-san be brutally abused by the woman. Itachi had thrown himself in front of Sasuke and now he let himself be cut.

Why didn't Itachi defend himself? Why did he let that happen?

Sasuke stared wide-eyed at his brother as the other grimaced in pain. His Sharingan instinctively activated but he still didn't attack her.  
>The woman's skin was decorated with black spots all over, and she thrusted the knife section deep in Itachi's flesh, got his blood to flow freely all over his arms and stomach.<p>

Sasuke was filled with rage. "Get away from him!" he shouted and threw himself at Yumiko, his own Sharingan activated as well. Itachi looked horrified. "Sasuke, no!"

The woman turned around where she stood, raised her knife to attack Sasuke.

Everything was just a blur of crimson and black when Sasuke was violently shoved back and hit the opposite wall. Trembling in his whole body, he tried to stand up. Itachi was standing protectively some feet before him again, with his back to Sasuke. His arms were covered in his own blood.

"Nii-san, what..." Sasuke gasped.

"Stay there, Sasuke", Itachi ordered as he kept his ground in front of him.

Yumiko stood where she was, unmoved. She didn't seem to enjoy it though, but nor was she sad about doing it.

"You don't mind if I take some extra blood from you? My master would really appreciate it", she chuckled, like nothing had happened. She didn't seem to be the least affected by the bloody mess around her. She raised her sharp knife again. Her faint violet hair was thicker and glowing purple now when she had gone into the cursemark's power.

Itachi looked straight at her. "It's enough", he snapped.

Yumiko raised her eyebrows.

"You give me no choice", Itachi sighed. "I won't let you finish this."

His eyes that already was blood red, changed rapidly. His gaze was piercing her with its power – he'd called upon the Mangekyo Sharingan to protect his little brother.

"It's over now."

Sasuke stared wide-eyed at Itachi. He'd never seen that kind of eye jutsu before, he didn't even know that his aniki possessed it.

Yumiko's eyes widened. "You already have it?" she whispered.

At the same moment, Itachi attacked her.

* * *

><p><strong>.<br>**

**The truth is beginning to appear!**

**Review please!  
><strong>


	6. Chapter 6: The Sacrificed Clan

**Chapter 6: The Sacrificed Clan**

* * *

><p>Sasuke could only watch with pure terror as his brother rushed forward towards Yumiko.<br>What if Itachi ended up killed? His whole body was screaming to him to interfere, to stop Itachi, to _do _something. He was glad that the most part of the room was empty; it felt like it would be needed now.

His nii-san was suddenly holding two kunais in his hands; he had managed to pull them out from his weapon bag in a fraction of a second. Yumiko was prepared, with an animalistic growl she raised her knife once again. But Itachi was already in front of her, fending off her strikes. Now they were fighting for real, but they just used the strength of their bodies. Itachi had his ninja tools, she had her knife and both of them used taijutsu. Their location wasn't suitable for some other kind of fighting style, considering they were in a bedroom on the second floor. But Itachi had the upper hand – his body was stronger than hers.

_She was standing there with a stern face. "Your clan is coming to an end" she said. _

"_You'll never defeat us!" some Uchihas shouted and ran towards her, ready to strike.  
><em>

"_I'll do whatever it takes", she answered but was at the same time violently pounded to the ground, where they proceeded to kill her._

_They shaved her skin with shurikens and kunais, they placed her under various genjutsus and they thought she was defeated. But when she was about to die, black spots appeared on her neck and face, and she stood up again, barely alive and in great pain. But she was stronger.  
><em>

_Now she was changed and like a new opponent to them. Her glowing eyes showed nothing but power, and with that, she brought up her katana and sliced it through the neck of the nearest people. Not many people had the chance to hear their screams, because the most of them was already killed. The massacre had begun. _

_Itachi's and Sasuke's mother was out in the district that afternoon. When Mikoto realized what was happening, she rushed to her home to get her children._

_The strange woman followed her, tried to kill her as well. But Mikoto was strong enough to make it alive to her home. She got to her sons' bedroom, lifted Sasuke up from his crib and held him close to herself, determined to protect her child._

_The little baby was whimpering in discomfort when he saw his mother's pain. A crimson band of blood flowed down her chest._

_Itachi rushed in, he had realized what was happening. His young face was terrified, and it reminded Mikoto of how he had looked after witnessing the great ninja war. The first thing the eight-year-old did was to embrace Sasuke and make sure that he was unhurt._

_Mikoto hugged both her sons tightly. Little Sasuke realized that something was wrong but he couldn't understand what it was. Glistering tears filled his big eyes when he saw the fear in the others' eyes. Itachi instinctively began to cradle his brother to comfort him. "Otouto… don't be sad", he whispered. "You won't die, I promise." _

"_It will be alright, honey", Mikoto whispered, her face was white as a sheet from blood loss. Itachi's gaze drifted between them and his dead father, lying on the floor._

_"Why did it happen, mother?"_

"_I...I don't really know…" Her voice drifted off. "You don't need to worry about that, but promise me Itachi – protect Sasuke, when we aren't here anymore."_

_The eight-year-old boy looked determined, not afraid anymore. He held Sasuke close to himself. "Otouto, don't worry. I won't let you get hurt", he told the boy. Sasuke wasn't even two years old but he already relied completely on his big brother. _

_Mikoto collapsed on the floor, pale and bleeding. It was over for her. Sasuke whimpered a bit as he clinged to Itachi.  
><em>

_And so the woman who killed their whole clan showed up. Blood was running down her temples, it wasn't easy for her to wipe them all out. She was badly hurt and on the verge of collapsing, but the cursemark's power kept her going._

_"I'm going to… kill… you… I have… to."_

_Itachi faced her, his Sharingan was fully activated."No."_

_Yumiko gasped. _

Back in present time, Itachi forced her down and her eyes widened in fear when she suddenly was trapped in his Tsukiyomi. Itachi had had enough. He was furious by now. That woman, after everything that happened, she dared to show up again and threat his otouto with her presence.

Yumiko was enraged, as well.  
>LET ME OUT, her mind roared as she struggled against the imaginary prison she was trapped in. But Itachi wouldn't let her out, this time.<p>

**.  
><strong>

**.  
><strong>

"Danna un, may I ask you something?"

"What, Deidei?" The red-haired puppet master looked at his partner. They were sitting together on the couch at the Akatsuki base.

"You know, un, the relationship between Itachi and Sasuke, un… what exactly is it?"  
>Sasori sighed. "Apparently, they're closer to each other than ordinary siblings. But they've been with each other all Sasuke's life, so it isn't strange. But, clearly, there's something more now."<p>

"…Danna, isn't that…wrong? I mean, un, it's incestual…"

"Don't go say that to Itachi, whatever you do."

"Don't you think it's time, danna un, that the two of them go separate ways? I mean, Itachi has been fussing over Sasuke all his life, isn't it time that he gets a girlfriend or something, un?"

Sasori looked at him. "Do you want Itachi to kill you, Deidara?"

"Or he could get a boyfriend, I don't mind. I just think he should let go of Sasuke already, un. The kid is thirteen, isn't it time? I think we should go out with just Itachi, the two of us and Kakuzu and Hidan and have a little adult time, you know, un?"

"Oh no, don't let Kakuzu and Hidan go together. It won't be helpful when we're trying to convince Itachi to be straight. We have to split up…"

"So you mean that you're on it, danna, un?" Deidara smiled at him.

"…I think it's best if I, Kakuzu, Pein and Zetsu go out with Itachi. You, Hidan and Konan can take Sasuke somewhere, having a good time and see if he can find somebody he's interested in, right?"

"But I wanna go with you, danna un…"

"No, listen Deidei, we have to split up. But… we can't let Itachi or Sasuke know that we're intentionally trying to split them up. Just let's say that everything is fine as it is. But remember, brat, I'm not sure if it's going to work. Sasuke _is _practically Itachi's boyfriend. And I take no responsibility for this…"

"Fine, un. But let's give it a try."

**.**

Sasuke stared at the two people in front of him as Itachi backed towards him, stood directly in front of him again. What would happen now?  
>Itachi turned around and wrapped his arms around Sasuke, to calm him and make sure he wasn't going to be hurt. They turned towards Yumiko again.<p>

The older Uchiha had scotched Yumiko, now she was immobilized and in state of shock. She didn't let a sound escape her lips as the power of Tsukiyomi washed over her. She was sitting on her knees, looked up at Itachi. Blood oozed from her body, he had managed to hurt her badly, but he was bleeding as well.

Yumiko stared up at them, smiled hastily before supporting her weight with her arms.

"Itachi-kun", she said. Tears were glistening in her eyes.

The brothers eyed her somewhat suspiciously. Was she going to beg and cry to be spared, all of sudden? Itachi kept his grip around Sasuke's body, pressed him protectively against himself and didn't let his guard down.

But she smiled again. The purple color she had in her eyes seemed to fade a bit, until they became light violet, like her hair. Itachi didn't underestimate her, and he was prepared for more fighting any second. Would he just do away with her right now, before she had a chance to recover?

But the next thing Yumiko said shocked them both.

"Itachi…Take well care of your younger brother."

Their eyes widened. What was she getting at, all of a sudden?

Yumiko bowed her head until her long, almost white hair covered her face and spread around her. "You never know when it's too late."

A short silence, then she spoke again. "It may not look like it, but know how it is for you. I had a younger sister long ago, but I lost her during the war in our country. Before that, I was just like you, Itachi-kun. I was sure that nothing could hurt my sibling as long as I was there. But I was wrong."

Sasuke gaped.  
>Itachi was surprised as well, but he hid his shock. He had never had a second thought about Yumiko's past – although he'd known her quite a while now, he had never known that she was hiding something like this inside of her.<p>

"I was lost", Yumiko whispered, and now she raised her head and looked at them.

She was crying. "After my little imouto's death, nothing could stop me from falling into darkness. Then I met _him –_ and my life got a purpose again." Her eyes got a fierce glimpse and her voice was bitter.

"Who?" Sasuke wondered.

"Guess who", Itachi chuckled darkly. "A person that always catches the lost ones and makes them his tools. When nothing is enough to stop the darkness and the fear, he makes them think that he is able to do it."

"Who did you met, Yumiko?" This was the first time Sasuke addressed her by name. Somehow, he felt that it was harder to hold resentment for her now, even though she hurt his nii-san badly.

"Orochimaru."

_Of course, _Itachi thought - he already knew this - _that snake always shows up in the right moment._

"He said that he could perform a special technique, called Edo Tensei. With that, he could bring my sister back to life. But in return, I would help him with another thing..." Yumiko looked at them without anger or fear now, she had let her guard down. Itachi wondered shortly if he should take advantage of the moment or let it be. Somehow, he chose the latter.

"He needed blood from a living and a dead Uchiha because he wanted to create a stronger kekkei genkai. And I helped him with that", Yumiko continued.

Sasuke noticed that his nii-san looked very grim and sad upon hearing that, but he didn't know why.

"And I let him give me the cursemark, to obtain power. I left my old self behind me and became a new person. My life had circled around Imouto's rescurrection for so long then, but I was foolish. I should've known that it was just lies. Nothing could bring my beloved sister back."

Yumiko suddenly started to change. Her white hair got a dark brown color, like mahogany wood, and her eyes became light green. Her white skin changed color as well, turned into light peach, her face got a less sculpture-like appearance. It was like a different human was kneeling in front of them. That was how she looked for real, Sasuke realized.

The woman looked up at them. "So that's why I'm telling you, Itachi-kun. I already know how much you treasure your otouto. But never think that you can save him from everything. I'm leaving now. I've found out that this world no longer has a place for me. My mission is almost complete; he can finish the rest by himself. Please forgive me for coming here. "

She stood up, looked a short moment at the brothers in front of her. "Farewell, Itachi, Sasuke. I don't think we'll meet again, because, where I'm going is not a place for two angels like you. I believe that the only way to reunite with our lost ones is to go where they are at. My sister has waited long enough for me."

Yumiko turned around and left the room.

It toke some minutes before Sasuke could move again. He broke free from Itachi's tight embrance and looked around. The floor was soiled with blood, and so was Itachi's arms and shirt. Itachi was standing motionless for some seconds; even Sasuke couldn't read his expression now.

"Nii-san?"

Itachi moved his gaze to Sasuke and his grim expression faltered. He examined Sasuke worried. "Are you alright, otouto?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I'm fine, but what about _you_?"

"It's not so serious", Itachi assured him. "My wounds aren't so deep…"

"I don't believe that nii-san. You have to take care of it right now! And… what about that woman? Is she coming back?"

Itachi was silent for a moment. "…No, Sasuke. She isn't coming back anymore. You don't need to worry…"

"Nii-san", Sasuke asked. "What happened, really? Please, tell me the truth. Is she the one who killed our clan? Is she the reason that we're all alone here?"

He had to know.

Itachi struggled with his answer. Of course, he had known that his smart little brother would understand sooner or later what happened, but he wished that he just could continue shelter him from the truth. Because, it wasn't a pleasurable one.

But he decided that he would tell it, anyway. He kissed his brother's forehead. "Now I finally know. Do you want to hear everything from the start, otouto?"

Sasuke nodded.

.  
>.<p>

Yumiko knew where she would go. Where she wanted to end her life. She left Itachi's and Sasuke's house behind her, walked into the forest nearby. As she wandered further into the green area, thoughts that she thought she suppressed long ago resurfaced her mind. A bright memory, the only good one she could remember in her life.

_"Anee-san! Anee-san!"_

_A happy little girl with curly brown hair rushed up to her when she returned from her mission. Little imouto looked so happy. It was like the sun was shining in her eyes, hope shining from her smile. _

_The child smiled brightly at her, her cheeks were flushed with joy. She hugged Yumiko tightly, buried her cute, round little face in her big sister's shirt._  
><em>"Welcome home, anee-san! I love you! I thought you never would come back!"<em>

_Yumiko ruffled her hair and chuckled. "How could you forget, imouto? I'll always come back to you, as I promised."_

_"I've been waiting so long for you! I even skipped dinner to come and meet you, nee-san!"_

_Yumiko frowned slightly. "Why, imouto? Didn't you help Okaa-san with dinner?"_

_Akiko's chilish face looked guilty. "Oow..I forgot, anee-san. But I'm so happy that you're here again! I ran all the way here…"_

_"Go ahead and help her now. You know she can't walk since she was injured, she need all help she can get. It's your responsibility when I'm not home."_

_Akiko's face was filled with sadness. "But anee-san, I... I wanted to play with you. You've been gone for months!"_

_"We don't have time for that anymore, go back in right now and help Okaa-san!" Yumiko's voice was firm when she turned the eagerly little child down._

_Akiko's eyes filled with tears. "But, big sister…" she whispered.  
>Yumiko just walked past her.<em>

_Yumiko was only twelve years old then, Akiko was five. Yumiko had been playing the motherly role as long as she could remember. Their own mother didn't really care about anything nowadays. And their father... he left them before Akiko's birth after sleeping with another woman. He was a traitor and Yumiko had sworn – if she ever saw him again, she would kill him and his misbegotten child for putting herself, their mother and little Akiko through this hell of poverty and loneliness._

_They lived near the river, in a small house. They had to move often because of the war. Otou-san had promised to take them away from there before he left…_

Yumiko kept on walking as another memory floated into her mind. Her heartache grew and grew. She had been so stupid... The words "we don't have time for that" replayed itselves in her head.

_Two shinobis were standing at the front door, looked into the only room in the house. They had just told mother something terrible._

"_And what happened to the children in the boat?" Kaa-san asked them, pale in her face. She was lying on the bed, as she always did nowadays. She lost both her legs when she walked to the market two years ago, she got caught in a explosion. The war raged in the country of the Water._

_The man to the left looked sad. "I am very sorry, miss, but the whole river was ambushed and no survivors were found. But we were able to identify the bodies..."_

_Akiko had been in a boat on the river together with her friends._

_Yumiko, just thirtheen years old, ran from the room. She knew what it meant, and she couldn't stand seeing her mother break down. Imouto, her mind whispered.  
>I promised that I would protect you. You cannot die! You cannot! Imouto! Little sister! Come back, don't leave me here! <em>

_But she lost every chance. Yumiko didn't even get a chance to get her revenge on her father. Everything was lost._

_She was lost._

Yumiko cried as she went further into the forest. Her broken past in the war made her to the person she was today. Blinded by pain, confident and willing to do everything possible to get her sister back. Even if it meant standing up against the whole Uchiha clan…

And, that day ten years ago, when she was standing there with a katana in her hand, looking at Itachi and Sasuke, her past recalled. She saw how Itachi, eight years old and just had witnessed his parents die, held his little baby brother tight against him. Itachi was scared, he was sad, he was angry. But he hid all of that, to calm down the little child in his arms. "You won't die, otouto", he told the baby. "I will protect you, no matter what."

Yumiko gasped when she heard that, and she could remember herself saying the same thing to Akiko so long ago. But she wasn't able to to keep her promise...

"Give me strength", Itachi suddenly demanded. Yumiko wondered how he dared to face her like that.

"Why, kid?"

"I want to be strong, so I can protect my brother."

"Is that what you want?"

When Yumiko saw the absolute determination in Itachi's young face, she knew that she couldn't kill them, despite everything.  
>The will to protect a younger sibling with one's life... It was the only thing she shared in common with Itachi, but that saved their lives.<p>

.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: So, what do you think?<strong>

**And seriously guys, I know you're out there, so_ review, _please!**


	7. Chapter 7: To Make It Right

**Chapter 7: To Make It Right**_  
><em>

_From previously chapter:_

_"Nii-san", Sasuke asked. "What happened, really? Please, tell me the truth. Is she the one who killed our clan? Is she the reason that we're all alone here?"_

_Itachi struggled with his answer. Of course, he had known that his smart little brother would understand sooner or later what happened, but he wished that he just could continue shelter him from the truth. Because, it wasn't a pleasurable one._

_But he decided that he would tell it, anyway. He kissed his brother's forehead.  
>"Now I finally know. Do you want to hear everything from the start, otouto?"<em>

_Sasuke nodded._

* * *

><p>Itachi carried Sasuke to his bed, put him down gently.<p>

"Wait here, Sasuke. I'll just wash the blood off me."

Sasuke tried to stand up. "Nii-san! I have to help you with it! You're badly hurt, aren't you?"

"Don't worry, otouto", Itachi reassured again. "It's nothing. I'll be right back."

Sasuke was left on the bed in Itachi's room, looked at the blood on the floor and he got a tense feeling in the bottom of his stomach. Was Itachi really okay?  
>Just when he was about to rise from the bed and run after his brother, the said man entered the room.<p>

Sasuke looked at him, and his heart nearly stopped.  
>And it wasn't because of the piercing red marks on his forearms or the blood that was still oozing from the wounds.<p>

No, it was because Itachi was completely shirtless.

He had never known that it would have such a profound effect on him. Sasuke couldn't move his gaze from that pale, strong chest, or that black, untied hair falling gracefully down his shoulders. Of course he had seen his brother without a shirt before, but he couldn't remembering himself react this strongly. How could he suddenly feel so…

There was no other word to describe it. Sasuke was attracted, by the sight of his nii-san's naked torso. More than that, he would even say that he was…  
>Turned on.<p>

He didn't know why, but he just wanted to touch that smooth skin all of a sudden. He wanted to feel it beneath his fingers, to know if it was as soft as it looked.

Itachi noticed his astonished gaze and smirked a bit. Sasuke felt his cheeks began to heat. His nii-san walked over to him, and the younger didn't fail to notice the wide smirk on his brother's face as he moved his gorgeous body towards him.

"What are you thinking about, Sasuke?"

Sasuke jumped, like he was snapped out of some kind of trance.

"Aniki…" He reached up, to touch his brother. He just couldn't resist. His thoughts were scattered all over the room, went through memories.

_I want to feel him beneath me… feel us like one…_

That piece of paper… Sasuke let his fingers gently brush against Itachi's chest, created traces light as a feather. It felt like he got a slight electric shock from the touch. Itachi closed his eyes and gripped his hand.

"Sasuke… what are you doing?"

He allowed his free hand to stroke his little brother's burning cheeks. He leaned down so their faces were just some inches apart. "Why are you blushing, otouto?"

So many questions, and Sasuke couldn't bring himself to explain. To explain this hurricane of emotions, this explosion of love and need. He hadn't thought about it for a while, but since that day when he found his brother's note, a another thought had been haunting him.

And it didn't bother him in the least.  
>He knew he wanted it. He wanted to go further than this.<p>

Was Itachi serious with what he wrote? Did he feel the same way?

Sasuke's ability to think straight shut down when he felt Itachi's warm, soft lips on his. He couldn't suppress a moan of surprise and approval, and soon his fingers were entangled in the elder's hair. Itachi kissed him lovingly, placed his hands on each of Sasuke's cheeks to hold him in place. Sasuke pressed himself tight against his brother's chest, wished that he himself was wearing less clothes…

He was lost in wonderful fantasies about him and his nii-san, totally forgot the fact that they just had encountered an enemy. Itachi was more aware, though, but he always found it hard to concentrate when he was around Sasuke nowadays. He kissed his otouto breathless, so happy to be together with him, so happy for their surviving.

When he eventually pulled apart to give them some oxygen, his little brother wrapped his arms around his neck and refused to let go. Itachi smiled and thought once again about what he wanted. When he first began to think about it, one or two years ago, he couldn't face himself about the truth - that he actually was in love with Sasuke. But that feeling had grown and even though he used to try to suppress it, for his brother's sake, he couldn't. It blossomed to a deep love that nothing could erase anymore.

And, of course, he wanted Sasuke. Not just as a brother, family member and best friend – he wanted him… as a lover. Except for Sasuke's wellbeing, there was nothing else he wished for. That they one day… could be together _that _way.

And his little brother's flushed face, how he pressed himself to Itachi and whimpered, placed kisses all over his neck, told him one thing clearly.  
>That it might come true one day.<p>

But now, it was time to tell Sasuke what he always had wanted to know.

"Little brother, I am going to tell you everything about our past now", Itachi said and sat down on the bed, placed Sasuke in his lap.

.

.

"Hm, Danna… are you sure that this is going to work?"

"It's was your idea, Deidara. But I think it could work, actually…"

"Don't be so fucking down, cocksuckers! Jashin and I know this is gonna fucking work!" Hidan exclaimed as he walked behind them, chopped his large sword in the air as he went.

When the whole Akatsuki was moving through the streets, it was quite startlingly. Zetsu looked like a living plaint, eyed the neighbors hungrily. Tobi ran around and played with toddlers. Sasori sighed as he took the lead together with Deidara, and Hidan and Kakuzu followed. Pein and Konan walked hand-in-hand together with their children and Kisame followed, sulking.

"You're going to die", he told Sasori and Deidara repeatly. "I know Itachi. Sasuke is his _treasure_. And he will not let anyone take that away from him…"

"It will be fine", Sasori said, over and over again to convince his more and more unsecure partner.

.

"Well, otouto, this woman I fought… her name is Yumiko. I've known her since the massacre of our clan."

Sasuke gasped, turned around in Itachi's grasp. "The _massacre_?"

"Otouto, listen – I know you're upset, but... Our clan was massacred when you were just two years old. You and I are the only survivors."

"Why did you never tell me?" Sasuke asked vehemently, upset though his brother's words.

Itachi placed one of his hands in his brother's black spikes, stroked tenderly. "Because I knew it would hurt you. I wanted to keep it from you as long as I could, because it's not healthy for a child to deal with the knowledge that their whole family was… killed."

Itachi's voice was low and calm, no other emotion was visible in it.

Sasuke was shocked. "But… what about you? You couldn't have been so old either… how old was you when it happened? Seven? Eight?"

"It's another story", Itachi said dismissing, kept fondling with Sasuke's hair.  
>Sasuke couldn't believe his ears. Itachi always, <em>always <em>was there for him and thought about his little brother before anything else.

"But you must have had such a hard time, nii-san! I wish you could've told me, so I could've been there for you! Like you always are for me!"

Itachi's hand movements stopped.  
>Suddenly he spun Sasuke around in his lap, so the younger was facing him.<p>

"Otouto, you're always there for me. Your presence in my life is enough to keep me going, keep me smiling, forever", he said, more intensely. Sasuke looked at him gravely for some seconds before he continued:

"But what about this Yumiko? Who is she?"

Itachi sighed, and his voice became emotionless and calm again.

"Yumiko worked for another village, under her master Orochimaru. Her mission was to bring him large amounts of blood from living Uchiha's. Her master wanted to experiment with it and try to create a stronger kekkei genkai, a stronger blood limit technique. And Orochimaru thought the Uchihas were perfect for this. So one day, ten years ago, Yumiko went to Konoha to fulfill her mission.

But the Uchiha clan gave her big resistance, and she lost her patience because of her cursemark and decided to wipe them all out. With a bit of Orochimaru's power inside of her, she managed to kill the clan. Even I wouldn't have stood a chance, back then.

At last, when everybody else was dead, she faced us. Our parents had just died and I held you in my arms. Somehow… she calmed down then. She felt attached to me – to us – somehow, and she decided to not kill us. And leaving us alive was her last way to complete her mission. She couldn't kill us – at least not you – because she needed blood of a living Uchiha to give to her master. You had the perfect, pure blood that was needed, Sasuke.  
>And you were young and that meant that the effects of Orochimaru's experiment could be seen on you many years ahead. You were perfect for that purpose.<p>

So that day, she and I made a deal – in exchange for not killing us, I would make sure that she got the blood she needed for her mission. And I said that I would give her my own blood instead, as much as she needed, as long as she didn't touch you.  
>Back then, she took a minor amount of my blood and brought it to her master. Some days ago, as you know, she came here again, to demand for more.<p>

I got the effects of Orochimaru's experiment – for example, I was able to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan without killing somebody close to me. I've also experienced that my strength have fallen and risen over the past years. Now and then I would be exhausted for a couple weeks, as you've noticed, and some other times I've felt strong like I had the cursemark.  
>I had nothing to do with the massacre - when she talked about me "sacrificing the blood of the Uchiha" she was just referring to my role as a blood donor. "<p>

Sasuke couldn't find any words.

To just realize how much Itachi had sacrificed himself, how much he had gone through just for the sake of Sasuke's life and wellbeing… had he ever done something good enough to deserve a brother like Itachi?

He was shocked upon realizing how naïve he had been up to now, trusting his whole life in Itachi's hands, always thinking about himself and his own needs, with no clue about what Itachi had seen and done to make this life possible for them.

Sasuke was filled with so much guilt that he couldn't look his brother in the eyes any longer. He knew he could never ever repay everything Itachi had done for him.

Whenever he would feel unsecure or sad, Itachi would be there, hugging him and telling him that whatever he was struggling with, he would be helping him through all of it. But now Sasuke had realized another thing - that there was no limits for what Itachi would do for him. Even though was deeply in love with Sasuke, he would give up all of that love if he for example would ask him to help him get a girlfriend or boyfriend. Itachi would do anything for him, even if it would hurt himself.

"What's wrong, Sasuke?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke couldn't stand hearing the worry in his big brother's voice, the true concern. Because he didn't deserve it, not at all.

"Sasuke?"

"Don't… say… anything more!" Sasuke spat, disgusted with himself. He hated the very idea of Itachi's concealed suffering through the years, while he himself had been a ignorant and happy child, sulking for nothingness. How could he deserve Itachi's love?

Itachi placed his hands on Sasuke's cheeks, tried to look into his eyes.

"Tell me, Sasuke. Little brother, tell me what's wrong, right now. I want to help you."

Sasuke shook his head violently. "No, no, nii-san…"

"Sasuke, are you hurt from what I told you? Please tell me, I don't want you to suffer…"

That was it for Sasuke.  
>"NO!" he cried out, "I'm not suffering! You are the one who are hurt, nii-san!" Sasuke gritted his teeth in sorrow. "I wish I could do anything for you, for once! You are hurt and I just wish…I wish I could make it right!<p>

He finally met his brother's gaze. Itachi was shocked. Sasuke pressed himself against him again, tried to show him affection like never before. His eyes were filled with tears. He absolutely _hated _seeing Itachi hurt.

"I love you, nii-san, I love you, please tell me how to make you happy! I'll do anything!"

The older Uchiha sat like a statue on the bed, let Sasuke hug him and declare his love for him over and over again. It was true, his heart ached. But it wasn't because of what happened to their family, it was because of the pure sorrow Sasuke showed.

"Sasuke, stop it", he begged softly. "You have misunderstood something really, really important."

And finally he wrapped his arms around Sasuke's smaller body and nuzzled their faces together. Sasuke looked up at him, still a bit upset, with that cute look in his black eyes that made Itachi's heart melt. He rocked the young teen slightly.

"Nii-san… Although what happened in the past, you will always be with me, right?"

Itachi smiled gently. Finally he could explain. "Nothing can ever change my love for you, otouto. Nothing can take it away. I love you more than it's even possible, I feel sometimes. You mean more to me than my own life, Sasuke. Nothing gives me more happiness than to just be with you, to know that you're alive and that you're well, here with me. It doesn't matter that the rest of our family are dead, that we lost everything we had once upon a time.

I need you, to have you by my side, or I can't go on. It doesn't matter that we felt alone sometimes, that we didn't have a family, or that I have to give my blood away. Just to see your smile, it takes all my sorrows away and makes the sun shine through everything. I can't thank God enough for you, little brother, you're the greatest gift I ever could have been given. There's nothing, nothing, I wouldn't do for you, nothing I could trade your love for. Never forget that, Sasuke. You've always been my only love, my biggest source of joy. And you make everything right just because you are the person you are. You're my life.

Sasuke closed his eyes where he sat; safe in Itachi's loving arms. He didn't felt hurt anymore. They made everything right for each other.

"Thank you, nii-san. I love you so much."

"Not at all, little brother."

A comfortable silence fell between them, and Sasuke buried his face in his nii-san's chest.

_Sometimes… I can't even describe it. I can't even begin to explain how it feels when I'm with you…_

_I love you so much that it hurts._

A loud bang on the front door downstairs made Sasuke jump slightly. Itachi was unmoved.

"Hey! Let us in, cocksuckers! Or are you fucking each other so hard—OW, Kakuzu you fucking—"

"HELLO, UN!" Apparently, the Akatsuki had entered the house.

Sasuke sighed and broke their embrance. "Let's go downstairs, Nii-san, before they ruin our house."

Followed closely by his older brother, Sasuke went down to the hall and was met by the whole organization , strangely enough standing in two messy groups. Even stranger – all the couples were separated into the two groups.

"What's this?" Itachi asked, sounding surprisingly grim. Sasuke waved at Tobi and turned around to Itachi. "Nii-san?"

Itachi looked straight at the others. "What are you planning?"

"Itachi…" Sasori began, reassuring.

"We're going to have a night out, hn!" Deidara exclaimed.

Kisame facepalmed. Sasuke looked from person to person, confused.  
>Itachi had already begun to suspect the Akatsuki's motives.<p>

The older Uchiha's voice was surprisingly calm and he placed an arm around Sasuke's waist. "I am going with Sasuke", he declared calmly. His voice clearly said that no objections were allowed if they were interested in keeping their own life.

The look of absolute disappointment on Deidara's, Sasori's and Hidan's faces told them that this was exactly what they tried to prevent.

"But, un—" Deidara began to complain, but Sasori silenced him.

"But first, I have something to ask for", Itachi said, looked at Pein who looked deadly bored.

"What?"

"I want you to find Orochimaru and eliminate him."

Sasuke's eyes widened. Kisame's, Hidan's, Deidara's and Zetsu's eyes shone bright with malice. Even Tobi stopped begging for ice-cream and listened.

"Hell yeah, un! I owe that snake some shit, for leaving my danna, hm!"

"I'm going to fucking slice him!" Hidan shouted.

"Why this, all of a sudden?" Pein asked. "He _is _a threat to our organization, but…"

"He has some of my blood", Itachi explained. "With that, he is able to affect my health. He might even want to kill me with it…"

"What?" Sasuke gasped.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of that piece of shit, hn!" Deidara smiled arrogantly. Hidan nodded, for once agreeing with the artist.  
>Nobody seemed to notice that Itachi's arms were cut. Before Sasuke allowed his brother to leave their house, he bandaged Itachi's arms carefully.<p>

Then they went out with the Akatsuki, to forget all the pain and once again having the time of their life.

.  
>.<p>

_Preview of next chapter: As Itachi carried his brother upstairs, Sasuke closed his eyes and already imagined the perfect time they would have – finally as one._

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><p><strong>Review!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8: In Sensations Lost

_**Chapter 8: In Sensations Lost**  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>Exercise 2: Your Family<br>The point of the exercise is to reflect about your own living conditions in comparison to …_

"What is this shit?" Sasuke thought and eyed his homework suspiciously. He picked his bitten pen up and began to write some answers.  
>Seriously, how much creativity could an exercise lack? He got these kinds of questions in the first grade. He wasn't a child anymore, for God's sake!<p>

He sighed. Well then, he wasn't going to put much job in it.

_How many family members do you have?  
><em>  
>Itachi.<p>

_Tell us about all your family members. (Name, age, habits, interests etc. )_

Itachi, Aniki, Nii-san.

_Do you have any siblings?_

Itachi.

_In that case, tell us more about them._

Itachi.

_Tell us more about your parents._

It- Deceased

_Which one do you like the most? Why?_

Itachi.

Done. Sasuke smirked to himself as he folded the paper some times and put it aside. He was sitting at the kitchen table, eating breakfast as he rummaged through his school bag – he had got the brilliant idea to check it for homework and stuff, an hour before school started. His older brother was messing around in the house, cleaning diligently.

"Are you done with your homework?" Itachi asked as he entered the room with a feather duster in his hand. Sasuke giggled at the sight of his orderly nii-san.

"What?" his brother asked, raised his eyebrows when he noticed his little brother's amused reaction.

Sasuke made his way over to him and brought their yellow apron at the same time.  
>"All that's missing is this, nii-san", he giggled and tied it around Itachi's middle.<p>

The elder brother chuckled, played along for once. He ruffled Sasuke's hair and wrapped his arms around him. "Sure, otouto."

"You're like a housewife sometimes, nii-san" Sasuke pointed out, amused, and looked up at him. Itachi frowned, but the younger knew he wasn't angry. And moreover, it was true.

None of them could ignore the fact that their bodies were very close together at that moment, and Sasuke soon couldn't think straight. Confused thoughts and emotions were swirling in his head as he looked at his brother.

Caught in his eyes, Sasuke stared at Itachi with awe and adoration. The elder bent down and connected their lips in a soft, sweet kiss. And it was like the moment freed itself from the world and floated away, to a place where it would last forever.

Sasuke's arms rose as of themselves to grip at Itachi's hair and hold him in place. To hold him next to him, where he should always stay, with the heat from their mouths so sweet tasting.

"Hmm…" He closed his eyes and just enjoyed the moment. Itachi held him so carefully, like he was something very precious that he never wanted to let go of, and Sasuke always found himself so safe, so happy in his arms.  
>Eventually, they pulled apart and he simply rested his head against the elder's strong chest. He never wanted to be gone from his aniki, not for a single moment. Itachi kept his arms around him, caressed his cheek with a tenderness that was sickenly sweet.<p>

"Nii-san?"

"Hm?"

Sasuke looked up at him and decided to speak his mind, about something that had troubled him for the last weeks. "Are you sure that… you just want to live here with me, alone? I mean, you might want to get a social life and such…" He tried to smile. "I'm kind of.."

Itachi gently lifted his chin and he stopped talking.  
>"Never have any doubts about yourself, otouto. You are an amazing person and I love you so much. Never ever think that you're not enough for me. Will you promise me that?" Itachi looked him deeply in the eyes.<p>

Sasuke nodded. "Nii-san…I…would…" He took a deep breath. "I…mean I want to… I…"  
>Why did he feel so unsecure all of a sudden?<p>

_I want more than this… _He traced patterns with his hands over his brother's collarbone, up to his neck and chin and down to his shoulders. He knew he wanted to go further than this, he had already decided.  
>As if he had read his mind, Itachi spoke up:<p>

"About 'deepen' our relationship – I've always wanted that, Sasuke. If you are sure that you are ready, and that you want to, then I have no objections."

Normally, he wouldn't let Sasuke do a certain thing if there was any risks for his health and mental wellbeing, so it must mean that he trusted Sasuke's will.  
>The younger smiled and gently nudged his brother in his side. "You know I want to, nii-san. And you know you want it too."<p>

Itachi responded by lifting Sasuke up in his arms, bridal style. He bent down and kissed him lovingly. Something else than just love was visible in his eyes, something that Sasuke never seen before. But it only made him even more sure.  
>"This is gonna be perfect, Sasuke. I'll make it perfect for us."<p>

And as he was carried upstairs, Sasuke closed his eyes and already imagined the perfect time they would have – finally as one. One, in every way. Although he was a bit nervous for this awaiting new experience, he knew it was nothing to fear. Itachi was with him, and Itachi would guide him through everything. Like always.

He met his older brother's gaze again. He couldn't deny it – he was so happy to finally get to make love with the one who was the center of his world.

_But..._

_Sometimes..._

_ I wonder, now when I know the truth..  
><em>

_How would our lives be if our parents were still alive?  
><em>

_I wonder...  
><em>

_Would this...  
><em>

_Ever happen then?  
><em>

_.  
><em>

Sasuke realized it was evening when he slowly opened his eyes and saw the bluish purple sky outside Itachi's bedroom window.

He slowly realized where he was – right where he should be, in his nii-san's soft embrace. He stared at his sleeping brother for a moment, studied every beautiful line in Itachi's relaxed face. Sasuke smiled to himself and inched closer to him, buried his face in the nape of his neck. He breathed his brother's wonderful scent, mixed with the unique scent of their love. He could still feel the heat of Itachi between his thighs, and that made him whine impatiently. Couldn't his nii-san wake up soon?

As soon as he thought it, he saw those deep black eyes of his brother be revealed when the elder opened his eyes. A river of memories from before washed over Sasuke. His cheeks became flushed with excitement and Itachi smiled.

"How long did we sleep?" he asked sleepily. "The whole day has passed…"

"Why are you asking that now?" Sasuke said, a little bit angrily. Couldn't Itachi feel… how much he needed him, right now?

But Itachi knew. A smirk played on his lips as he flipped them around, so he was on top.  
>The younger looked at him, begging. "Please, nii-san…it didn't feel like we did it right" he tried. "One more time?" He inserted his famous puppy eyes.<p>

Itachi bent down and silenced him with his lips. "As you wish, little brother."

.

"Hm…why wasn't Sasuke at school today? Because, I guess he is not the type who skips school without reason..." Shino remarked.  
>Akamaru was running around on the field in front of him, tried to catch some of his bugs without success. Kiba, trying to synchronize his movements with the dog's, shrugged.<p>

"No idea where he's at. He's probably with Itachi."

The other boy scowled. Kiba sighed, but then he grinned when he got a brilliant idea.

"Let's continue train", he suggested.

Shino nodded and quickly formatted his bugs to a creature in the same size as Akamaru.

Kiba and the dog attacked at the same time, from different angles, to try to pierce the bug formation. It was hard for the both of the opponents, especially when they had so different strengths. Kiba launched himself at the bugs but suddenly slipped from a branch and tripped. Almost instantly, the bugs took advantage of it and gathered around one of his legs, to lift him up and slam him to the ground.

The dog boy rubbed his aching head and sat up, where he had fallen down on the grass. Akamaru ran over to him, barking worriedly.

Shino was at his side soon, looking confused. "I never thought you'd fall so easily", he said in his usual emotionless tone.

Kiba hid his smirk. "Well, I hit my head quite hard!" he complained. "I wasn't prepared! And moreover, we're just training! I never thought your bugs would attack me!"

"They weren't, because…"

Kiba stood up. "I owe you a punch to your head", he muttered. _Or rather, you owe me a favor for this..._

"Do you want to fight now? Because, my bugs never forget an enemy…"

"No, I have a headache. See ya tomorrow, I'm going home now. Come, Akamaru." Kiba grinned to himself. His plan would work.

.

Sasuke never wanted to return the usual world he lived in. It seemed so cold, so uncomforting, when he was lying safe in Itachi's warm arms. The elder gently nibbled at his ear, affectionately. Sasuke realized that they had stayed in this bed a very long time now. He didn't notice that they fell asleep again afterwards, and now the sun was rising over the village.

"Nii-san… I think my school begins soon. I've got to get up…" he sighed.

"Is it already morning?" Strangely, Itachi seemed to have forgotten that important thing.

"Yeah, don't you remember, nii-san?"

He could feel Itachi smile against his skin. "I was lost in you beauty, so I forgot."

Sasuke closed his eyes. "So that was our first time…and then our second."

"How do you feel?"

He opened his eyes and looked at him, curiously. "What do you mean?"

Itachi examined him, in a sudden Older-Brother-Mode, like he was a little child.  
>Sasuke thought about it for a moment. Was he in pain?<p>

He shook his head. "It was… wonderful, nii-san."

Sasuke just wanted to lie there and keep the moment and their emotions, their overwhelming bliss, intact as long as he could. But he knew he had to go to school today anyway. Sasuke Uchiha did many things, but he didn't skip school.

Itachi followed him down to the kitchen when they were dressed, and Sasuke found it very hard to concentrate until he heard a certain newscast on the radio.

"Yesterday night, a woman was found dead in the forest near Konoha's eastern port. The signs point at suicide, and she was found alone, with a knife in her hand. She was dressed in a long-sleeved white dress, a kimono, with a remarkable red ribbon around her waist. Her appearance was described as very fair skinned, with bright purple hair ... we'll interview doctor Nara who suspects 'harakiri'…"

"Nii-san?" Sasuke turned to his brother. "Was that… Yumiko?"

"Probably", Itachi nodded gravely.

Sasuke still hadn't understood what was up with that woman. Why would she, after trying to attack Itachi, tell him to take well care of his brother? It didn't make sense to him. Well, she had a horrible past... but...

But Itachi understood. He somehow felt guilty, and full of gratitude, that she choose to spare them during the massacre… and that she actually agreed to not harm Sasuke despite he was her target.

He looked out through the window, at the clear blue sky. He remembered Yumiko clearly, her real appearance in the last seconds before she left. She had taken their family away, but what could she do? Itachi could well understand that she was willing to do anything to get her little sister back. The thought of himself losing his little sibling made him shudder and wanting to hold Sasuke tight and never let go of him.

The only thing that had concerned Itachi since their parents' death was Sasuke, and only him. But now he thought:  
><em><br>I hope you're happy now and together with your sister. I hope that you finally met her again, Yumiko. Take well care of your sibling up there. _

He looked once more at the wind dancing through the clear air, and then turned towards Sasuke with a tender smile. "It's time for you to go now, otouto, isn't it? I made your lunch."

And when his brother, happily as usual, set off to school with a "Goodbye, Nii-san!", Itachi watched him go with a somehow sad feeling inside. He used to get that feeling upon realizing how fast Sasuke grew, how soon he would be out of his life and wanting a own…

If things hadn't gone as they did. The fact that they now were lovers… it was just sheer luck, Itachi thought. But from the first day in their life together, when he saw their mother fall to the floor with a smile and a thud, he had known that his love had no limits.  
><em><br>Because, Yumiko, you know as well as I how it is when all your love is about one person, that little one who is a part of you…  
>The love between siblings is one of the strongest kinds of love.<em>

_.  
><em>

"Hey, Sasuke, there you are!" Kiba grinned when he arrived to school.

Sasuke was in his daydreams already, he didn't notice where he was until he got a swarm of bugs in his face during the last lesson.  
>"Ugh!" He waved with his hands frenetically to get them out of his eyes.<p>

"Wakey-wakey, Sasuke! How's going in the land of dreams?" Kiba poked him with his pencil as usual and Neji and Shino was staring at him in the benches beside his.

"Let me be!" Sasuke muttered.

Kiba grinned. It was time to put his plan in action. He suddenly gripped the unprepared Shino around his neck. Akamaru helped with holding him down. The teacher was standing with his back against them and didn't notice it.

"Shino", he hissed quietly, "do you remember yesterday? I owe you a punch…" Shino struggled to get free, realizing that he was in a disadvantage.  
>Kiba held his hands down, preventing bugs from coming out of the holes there.<p>

"Do you want everybody here to see you be defeated by me?"

Shino looked around, saw some of the kids who often bullied him, they grinned at him.

"..."

"Then do me a favor."

"What do you want me to do?" Shino muttered quietly.

"I just want you to say some things, and then I'll let you go and we're even."

"…What do you want me to say?"

Kiba whispered something in his ear.

"... N-no way!"

Sasuke was biting at his pencil, too deep in the thoughts of last night to realize what Shino was saying, until Kiba demanded:

"Louder! Say it louder!"

Sasuke turned around and looked at them, somewhat annoyed. Until he heard Shino and he choked on a breath.

"I like incest!"

Sasuke gaped. _What the hell?_ Shino was the one who always said how wrong it was…  
>Kiba was still gripping the boy's wrists and pulled him down at the table. "Louder!"<p>

…"I LIKE INCEST!"

Sasuke's cheeks began to heat. Stupid blush! He glared at Kiba.  
>Everybody in the classroom, even the teacher, looked at them and Sasuke began to feel really guilty. Shino was embarrassed as well and wriggled to escape Kiba's grip. The boy released him, smiling proudly.<p>

"What the hell was that about, Kiba?" Sasuke hissed to him.

Kiba shrugged and laughed at Shino's red face.

.

"Nii-san! I'm home" Sasuke entered their house some hours later. He took of his jacket and his bag. Where was Itachi?

"Nii-san?" he repeated. It was all he had time to say as Itachi suddenly pinned him against the wall by his weight. He pressed his lips against his, molded them together as he possessively placed his arms around his body.

"Sasuke…" he breathed. "Tell me what you want right now."

The younger Uchiha took a shaky breath, his cheeks began to feel warm again. "…You."

A smirk, a gasp and a thud when their bodies collapsed on the floor.  
>They were already lost in their own heaven, too deep in it to care about anything else.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews make my day!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9: Soulmates

**Author's Note:** Well, I'm sorry to disappoint some people here, but I have to explain some things.

This story was never intended to be a yaoi story. From my experience, most lemon/yaoi stories are often not so deep with emotions, pure-hearted love and such – ever heard about pwp? xD I didn't want to destroy this story with that (even if it _was_ lovingly) since I'm focusing on the pure love and emotions, all the difficult things in their relationship, their dark and confusing past, and so on.  
>I know it might make the story more interesting for some people if I added some 'hot stuff' – but as I said, I'm not writing this to satisfy lust needs and give people nosebleeds, but to give the readers some emotional, somehow fluffy, angsty, fanservice about the pairing.<br>Oh well, I am (believe it or not) a crazy obsessed yaoi lover, and I'd love to add some hot, brainmelting yaoi scenes, but I do not think it would do this story any good. I censured the "bed parts" for two reasons – to spare the readers who do not like yaoi from it (this story is T-rated, may I remind you), and from the reason mentioned above. But if you still would like some yaoi, I do have written some ItaSasu lemon stories, and I'm currently working on one.  
>That was my (too long) explanation to why I censured things. It must have been my longest Author's Note ever..xD<p>

And I would like to thank everybody who read this story and bore with my ideas to the end. Especially I want to thank everybody who reviewed. It's really appreciated! *hugs*

This chapter will contain hints, though. And a lot of fluff! ^^  
>And as you already may have guessed… this is the last chapter. Enjoy!<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: Soulmates<strong>

_If our parents wasn't dead…_

_Would this…_

_ever…_

_happen?_

Sasuke wondered about it again as he fell down on the sheets, panting heavily, beside Itachi. He couldn't stop thinking about it. So easily, destiny could've chosen another path for them to walk...

They were lying safe in the softness of the sheets, just coming down from their high, tired and happy. Itachi wrapped his legs and arms around him, holding him close.

"I love you so much that it drives me crazy sometimes", he mumbled.

Sasuke nuzzled into the soft skin of his brother's neck, smiling. "I love you too, nii-san. So much."  
>This was how they always should be. So close… skin against skin. Just… nii-san and otouto. Forever.<p>

**3 years later**

Gosh, he could swear that it was here somewhere! Sasuke frantically searched through his messy room. It seemed like he never had time to clean it anymore…

But he wasn't the orderly type, he'd never been. He was searching through the three layers of stuff on his desk, the floor that was covered with dirty clothes, homework, ninja tools, scrolls, some dishes – everything a typical teenager of Konoha would have in his room. He attacked his drawers, more and more stressed by each second. He had to find it right now, otherwise his surprise would be ruined!

"Sasuke!" his brother called from downstairs.

"I'm coming!" he shouted back, continued to rummage through the mess.

Oh no. It was the yearly Photographing Day today – something his nii-san had insisted on bring into their lives. Every year, on Itachi's birthday, they would be photographed together. His brother had made a collection with pictures from their whole life, hanging in the stairway. Sasuke wasn't just fed up with it – he hated to be photographed, even if it was together with Itachi.  
>"It's important to save our memories together", the older brother had told him gravely. "You're growing so fast, otouto."<p>

But where on earth had he put Itachi's birthday card? He'd spent a whole day on making it, to make it perfect for his beloved nii-san.

"Sasuke! What are you doing?" Itachi called, a bit impatiently.

"Eh…I'm busy with something, nii-san. I'll be right back!"

The sixteen-year-old boy stood up, sighing. Sadly, he realized that he had forgotten where he put it. Damn! What would he do now?  
>He heard his older brother coming up the stairs, looking gorgeous in a new outfit. "Are you alright, otouto?"<p>

"I'm fine. I'm just…" He stopped when he was wrapped in an affectionate hug from behind. Itachi kissed his earlobe. "We must go down now, otouto. The photographer is waiting."

"I don't want to be photographed all the time", Sasuke pouted. "I haven't washed my hair today and…"

Itachi chuckled and lifted him up in his arms. "You look amazing, like always, otouto." He carried his wriggling little brother downstairs.

"Nii-san! You know that I hate photographing! Put me down-"

Itachi just smirked and kept his grip around him, not letting his brother escape. Sasuke sighed when he was put down in the dining room, which now looked like a studio.

The reason why Sasuke hated it was because he was afraid of cameras when he was little, and moreover, the teenager had a hard time with looking at himself at pictures – he thought he posed very badly.

The photographer smiled at them. "Line up and say 'cheese'".

"I'm just going to the…" Sasuke tried, but his older brother swiftly caught him and turned towards the cameraman with Sasuke in front of him, holding him down with his little brother's back against his chest. Itachi's strong arm was pinning him against him firmly but gently, and Sasuke found it impossible to escape.

"Nii-san!" he whined. "Let me go, pleaaase…"

Itachi kissed his hair hastily and then smiled towards the camera. "It won't take long. Smile, my little otouto."

When the photo was taken, they examined it together. Itachi was smiling, holding up two fingers in a happy gesture. Sasuke looked embarrassed and unwilling, his hands going up to pry himself free from his older brother's grip.

"A rather telling picture of you", the photographer laughed.

Sasuke pouted. He always thought he looked ugly at pictures. Itachi always looked perfect.  
>His older brother kissed him, softly at first, then more passionately to make Sasuke wanting more.<p>

"You did very well. Thank you, otouto", he whispered in his brother's ear when he had pulled back. "If you are a good otouto and let the photographer take some more pictures, your Nii-san will give you a reward."

Sasuke nodded, reluctant.

"It's time to practice for your wedding picture", the photographer joked. He'd been following the Uchiha brothers for a very long time now. Sasuke glared at him.

And so, for the first time in his life, Sasuke let himself be photographed willingly.

They took a couple of pictures when he was standing in front of Itachi, the elder rested a hand slightly on his shoulder. Then they took a picture where Itachi kissed his forehead, his arms wrapped around him.

"See, that wasn't so bad", Itachi told him tenderly and caressed his cheek afterwards. Sasuke was pouting more than ever, feeling bad that he didn't found his aniki's birthday card and therefor behaving like a sulky kid. But Itachi didn't mind, he always knew how to deal with Sasuke.

The younger wrapped his arms around his brother's neck and his legs around his waist, felt Itachi lift him up a bit.

"Happy Birthday, nii-san", he mumbled and looked into his brother's eyes.

Itachi looked at him for a moment, before connecting their lips and kissing him deeply, lovingly. Sasuke gasped into the kiss, gripping his brother's hair to pull him even closer. Itachi let his tongue slip into his mouth, caressing his inner cheeks. Sasuke loved it. With closed eyes he responded, felt his heart race and his blood boil. After a while, they pulled back and just rested in each other's beauty.

He barely noticed that his brother was moving upstairs with him, until he was placed on Itachi's bed. He lay down on the soft covers as he watched his nii-san pick something up from the bedside table.

"There's something I want to show you, Sasuke", he mumbled softly. He sat down beside his little brother, showing him the photograph of him and Sasuke, from when Sasuke was newborn.

Sasuke frowned. "What's with that?"

The elder leaned close to him, lying down beside him. "I know you've always wondered about that, otouto. It's our mother who wrote it." He pointed at the words on the other side of the frame. Sasuke examined it confused.

"_Proud Big Brother – Sasuke's Birth – July 23__rd__."_

"Our mother?"

Itachi smiled gently. "I know you have no memories of her and our father. I… I haven't been able to tell you this before, I knew it would be difficult to think of… But I want you to know that she loved us very much, Sasuke."

The younger looked at his brother. "Before… before they were killed, were we happy? Were we a happy family?"

Itachi examined him closely, as if he was afraid that Sasuke would break down and cry at any moment. He nodded, hesitantly. "What are you thinking of?" he asked his otouto when he noticed his distant gaze.

"So… once upon a time, we also had a family", Sasuke mumbled. "When… when mother died, she asked you to take care of me, right?"

Itachi wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tightly. Once again, he was overwhelmed by his strong love, affection and protectiveness for the younger. They were both holding the photograph, looking at it now and then.

"Yes, she did", he mumbled against Sasuke's hair, "And I told you to not worry – I would protect you."

"And so you did", Sasuke smiled. "You've taken care of me for so many years…"

Itachi released his gentle grip and straddled him instead, made the younger's eyes widen.

"Of course", he said gently. "That's what big brothers are for." He bent down so their noses were touching, they could feel each other's breath on their lips. "Now, it's time for your 'reward'."

.

They were walking down the streets, into a little forest path, hand in hand. Itachi had promised to show him something, something important about their past. Sasuke's heart was still beating fast from the 'reward' Itachi had given him earlier, and he was sure that his older brother could feel it as well.

He looked up at his nii-san and felt his cheeks begin to heat when he was reminded of Itachi in a more… messy state. He began to breathe faster. The elder caught his gaze and smiled widely, stopped walking.

"What are you thinking of now, otouto?" he smirked.

"N-nothing…" He knew that Itachi could see through him.

"Well…" The older Uchiha leaned close to him, so Sasuke thought he would go insane if he didn't get to taste his brother's lips soon. Itachi looked him deeply in the eyes. "Then I'll make sure that you're thinking of me some more." And he caught his lips in a firm, sweet kiss. Sasuke's hands reached out aimlessly to grip his brother's hair, moaning into the kiss.  
>It took a long time before they had collected themselves enough to keep on walking.<p>

"Here's the graveyard", Itachi mumbled, squeezing Sasuke's hand comfortingly. The forest path widened and the trees disappeared. Now a little field was lying in front of them.

They looked out over the bright area, the Uchiha Clan's graveyard. Soft grass, almost yellow from the drought and warm sun, was surrounding a couple of old tombestones, everybody with the Uchiha clan crest symbol on it. Sasuke gasped when he noticed how many there was – endless lines with tombstones. All from their clan. His brother led him forward to two newer stones, standing out quite much in comparison with some of the older ones.

Sasuke almost lost his ground and squeezed Itachi's hand even more.

"Here... are our parents resting."

Sasuke looked at the inscriptions. Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, deceased only two years after his own birth. He had no memory of them, had never seen any pictures and had even been unsure about their names.

To think that they had been killed. Slaughtered, in their own home... Sasuke clenched his fists, standing in front of their graves, well-fed and alive, spared. But still so upset.

If it wasn't for Itachi's presence in his life, he would have been bitter and obsessed with revenge. But now he soon relaxed again, felt his brother's arm around his shoulders.

"Thank you, nii-san."

"For what, otouto?" his brother asked, confused.

Sasuke suddenly turned around and buried his face in his brother's chest, grieving for lost times, lost lives. "For everything."

.

As they walked home together a while later, Sasuke was thinking. Everything Itachi had done for him, there was no limits. Sasuke always could turn to him, and he knew that even he could be a shelter for his brother sometimes, when Itachi was feeling down and sad.

Itachi, as well, was lost in his own thoughts. Some people thought that he was being overprotective of Sasuke all the time.  
>But seriously, it's Sasuke we are talking about.<p>

Itachi's otouto. His whole life. Itachi needed to protect him, because, he was terrified of the thought about losing Sasuke.  
>He had dark memories in his past, both before and after Sasuke's birth, but that fear of losing him overshadowed every other fear he could have. Yes, he feared what Yumiko had done and how close it was that she killed them too, but that was still nothing.<p>

He couldn't even think about not having Sasuke within reach all the time. He couldn't breath if he didn't know that his otouto was alright. He'd die over and over in the most painful way if it meant that Sasuke would survive. Because Sasuke was more to him than just the only other survivor of the clan. He was even more than a beloved little brother. He was Itachi's soulmate, the piece that made him complete, and he was his big brother's only love interest, as well.

Itachi still remembered their parents, and he missed them sometimes, but still – nothing.

Nothing in comparison to his little otouto.

Nothing.

He gently reached out and stroked Sasuke's cheek, like countless times before. He could never get enough of telling him how much he meant for him.

"Otouto… you're my life. And you've always been, from the first time I heard about you. I love you so much."'

Sasuke smiled. "You know I love you too, nii-san. More than everything."

"You don't know how much", Itachi whispered and took hold of his face between his hands. He began to kiss him, at first ever so softly, then with more strength. Sasuke closed his eyes as he responded to the kiss, enjoyed the feeling of being so close, and rested his head in Itachi's strong hands.

After a while, Itachi finally pulled back and rested their foreheads against each other.

"You never ever have to worry about me leaving you", he whispered. "My life begins with you, and it will end with you. I won't go anywhere without you, love."

Sasuke placed his arms around his neck and pulled him closer, suddenly kissed him again. "Thank you, nii-san. I will neither leave you, I will always be at your side."  
>Itachi wrapped his arms around his body and held him close, so close. And there they stood while the sun glowed and slowly sank behind the forest.<p>

_You are where my life begins. And now I can see clearly. _

_.  
><em>

The next day, they went out together and ate at a restaurant to celebrate Itachi's birthday in arrears. Sasuke got the waitress to open a bottle of well-shaken champagne for his brother. It was the one of the funniest things he had seen in years.

After that, the Akatsuki had insisted on coming and having a party, in "clean" manners, but both the brothers rejected. Instead the Akatsuki brought the Uchihas a big cake, with a weasel of chocolate in the middle. They celebrated for some hours with them (and fortunately, no neighbors were sacrificed). To his big joy, Sasuke found Itachi's birthday card and could finally give it to his brother. He had found it in his bed - he had fallen asleep with it.

When the organization had left, Sasuke flipped his laptop open to check some daily things, as Itachi cleaned up in the kitchen.

A short while Sasuke was busy with writing and checking e-mails, but Itachi suddenly noticed that he was staring at the screen.

Sasuke had logged into Facebook to check his messages. At first it was nothing special, just a 'poke' from Itachi (to his irriation and Itachi's amusement, he got those regularly) and some events… then he saw a private message. He scrolled past the loads of love letters that Ino, Sakura and a bunch of other girls had sent him, until he opened the last one.

It was from one of the boys in his class. Great. Sasuke sighed inwardly.

"Nii-san?"

"Yes, otouto?"

"Now I've got male stalkers as well. It's already too much with all girls…."

He flinched a bit when he read the message. Itachi walked over to him and read it.

_Hey Duckass-hair! Wanna come over 2 me someday? I'm gonna have so much fun w/ u… I wanna ride ur duckass. Keep in touch, hottie!_

Sasuke sighed. This was expected, somehow. It wasn't easy to be the most popular guy in school. But his brother didn't take it easy.  
>Itachi growled. Before Sasuke had time to react, he snapped the laptop from his hands.<p>

"Nii-san! It's not really…."

Itachi had already begun to type an answer, ignoring Sasuke's protests. His fingers danced over the keyboard and he gritted his teeth.

"I'm your brother and your legal guardian so it's my duty to protect you from people like this", the prodigy answered as he typed. Sasuke protested, but his brother clicked Send and then handed over the laptop again.

Sasuke read: _And I wanna break your neck. Refrain yourself from approaching my brother like this ever again. Or I'll be having so much fun with __**you**__. /Itachi Uchiha_

The threat was simple and bold. Itachi was infamous and feared among Sasuke's enemies. He probably - with 100% surety - never would bother Sasuke again.  
>Sasuke pouted – a habit he had been starting with recently – as he read the reply. His mind drifted off to other things, due to way the message was formed.<p>

He looked up, only to find Itachi's face some inches apart from his own. He could feel the sweet scent of his brother's breath and his own hitched. He got caught in the black, deep eyes of his beloved aniki.

"Do you know how damn cute you are when you're doing that?" Itachi asked.

"Doing what?" Sasuke asked and was at the same time pushed down on the couch, captured beneath his brother. He yelped but exhaled when he saw that Itachi had put the laptop aside at the table first.

"When you're pouting like that, there's so much things I want to do to you..." Itachi purred in his ear. Sasuke wrapped his arms around his neck to hold him down, together with him. "Do to me... or with me?" he asked innocently, but he knew that he was teasing his brother. Or just 'do me'? his mind asked, smirking.

Itachi kissed him roughly, but still lovingly.  
>Maybe I can get nii-san to give me another 'reward'? Sasuke thought, smirking to himself, licking his lips. It wasn't enough that they did it almost every day.<p>

When their kiss ended and his ability to think returned, he decided to go for it. He was in the state Itachi always left him in after every touch – breathless, red-cheeked and ecstatic. And he knew he didn't need to do much until he had his brother's lips on his again, as he felt his shirt be unbuttoned and thrown at the floor.

The afternoon was flashing past quickly, the night closing in around them.

And Sasuke was where he always should be, so close together with his brother.

* * *

><p>.<p>

.

It feels sad to end this story. But it's time. Thank you for reading!

And now I want you to review and tell me what you thought about this!


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